By The South Asia Times

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump announced that the US military will temporarily pause "Project Freedom," the operation to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, following a request from Pakistan and other nations.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, framed the decision as a tactical pause rather than a retreat, citing "tremendous military success" during the US campaign against Iran.

"Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump wrote.

Trump first announced "Project Freedom" on Sunday, vowing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran's longstanding insistence that any transit through the critical waterway requires its prior approval.

Regional tensions have remained dangerously high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. That operation triggered Iranian retaliation and widespread disruptions to shipping in the strait, through which nearly a fifth of global oil production passes.

A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce without a set deadline. Since April 13, the U.S. has enforced a naval blockade specifically targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.

Also on Tuesday, Iran introduced a new mechanism governing ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz, effectively creating a parallel bureaucratic challenge to the US-led operation.

Under the newly announced system, vessels intending to pass through the strait receive an email from an address linked to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), an entity not previously recognized by international maritime bodies. The email outlines transit regulations, and ships are required to comply with the framework before receiving a transit permit, according to Iran's state-run Press TV.

Analysts say the move appears designed to assert de facto Iranian administrative control over the waterway while US naval operations are paused.

Trump emphasized that the naval blockade "will remain in full force and effect," suggesting that the pause applies only to active escort missions under Project Freedom, not to the broader U.S. military posture in the Gulf.

The announcement raises immediate questions among commercial shipping operators: Without U.S. escorts, and with Iran requiring its own permits, how will tankers navigate the strait safely?

No immediate response was available from the Pentagon or Iran's mission to the United Nations.

The Trump administration has repeatedly credited Pakistan's "gracious effort" in mediating between Tehran and Washington. Islamabad's role has expanded from initial ceasefire broker to a key interlocutor in what Trump described as a potential "Complete and Final Agreement" with Iran.

The pause appears to be a high-stakes diplomatic gamble: a brief window to finalize an agreement before military operations resume. If talks fail, Trump has left the door open to restarting Project Freedom. If they succeed, the pause could become permanent.

For now, the Strait of Hormuz remains under blockade, under Iranian permit requirements, and under a temporary, fragile silence.