Trump and Pakistan optimistic about a peace deal, but Iran yet to react

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded President Trump connected Wednesday for pausing Project Freedom, saying the halt to the little U.S. subject cognition to usher ships done the Strait of Hormuz — which prompted Iran to onslaught ships and Gulf States for the archetypal clip successful weeks — would "go a agelong mode towards advancing determination peace, stableness and reconciliation."

"We are precise hopeful that the existent momentum volition pb to a lasting statement that secures durable bid and stableness for the portion and beyond," said Sharif, whose state has served arsenic an intermediary betwixt Tehran and Washington, successful a social media post. 

"I americium grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous enactment and timely announcement regarding the intermission successful Project Freedom successful the Strait of Hormuz," said the Pakistani leader, adding that his state "remains firmly committed to supporting each efforts that beforehand restraint and a peaceful solution of conflicts done dialog and diplomacy."

Mr. Trump said Tuesday evening, erstwhile helium announced the intermission successful Project Freedom, that helium was doing truthful aft "great progress" successful negotiations "toward a Complete and Final Agreement" to extremity the warfare with Iran.

Iran's authorities has yet to respond publically to Mr. Trump's announcement.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi connected Wednesday told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that China was "deeply distressed" implicit the warfare that has lasted much than 2 months and said a "comprehensive ceasefire" was needed.

Wang met Araghchi successful Beijing, the archetypal clip the Iranian overseas curate traveled to China since the warfare with the U.S. and Israel started Feb. 28.

"We judge that a broad ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is peculiarly important to stay committed to dialog and negotiations," Wang said. 

After their meeting, Araghchi said Tehran would lone judge "a just and broad agreement" to extremity the war, according to Iranian authorities media.

"We volition bash our champion to support our morganatic rights and interests successful the negotiations," helium was quoted arsenic saying, without addressing President Trump's announcement connected Tuesday that helium was pausing Operation Freedom successful the Strait of Hormuz "for a abbreviated play of time."

Mr. Trump said helium was pausing the U.S. subject cognition to usher ships done the strait a time aft it began to spot whether a broad bid woody could beryllium agreed with Tehran, citing what helium said had been "great progress" successful negotiations brokered by Pakistan. 

The cognition infuriated Tehran, drafting the archetypal Iranian attacks connected ships successful the strait, and connected the United Arab Emirates, since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire began successful aboriginal April.

CBS/AP

President Trump said Tuesday connected societal media that Project Freedom volition beryllium paused arsenic the U.S. and Iran marque "Great Progress" toward a last agreement, but said the U.S. blockade would stay successful place.

"Based connected the petition of Pakistan and different Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we person had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the information that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we person mutually agreed that, portion the Blockade volition stay successful afloat unit and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships done the Strait of Hormuz) volition beryllium paused for a abbreviated play of clip to spot whether oregon not the Agreement tin beryllium finalized and signed," Mr. Trump wrote connected Truth Social.

Project Freedom, the U.S. military's effort to assistance determination ships done the Strait of Hormuz, began Monday.

Gen. Dan Caine, president of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday determination are much than 1,500 vessels with astir 22,500 mariners trapped wrong the Persian Gulf.

A representation obtained from Iran's ISNA quality bureau connected May 4, 2026 shows the Iran-flagged tugboat Basim adjacent a vessel anchored successful the Strait of Hormuz, disconnected Bandar Abbas successful confederate Iran. Amirhossein KHORGOOEI/ISNA/AFP via Getty

The United States and its Gulf allies person projected a United Nations solution threatening Iran with sanctions oregon different measures if it doesn't halt attacks connected ships successful the Strait of Hormuz, halt imposing "illegal tolls," and commencement disclosing the placement of each mines to let state of navigation.

The draught Security Council resolution, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, besides demands that Iran "immediately enactment successful and enable" U.N. efforts to found a humanitarian corridor successful the strait for the transportation of captious aid, fertilizer and different goods.

It is the latest diplomatic effort by the U.S. and its Gulf allies aft a watered-down solution aimed astatine opening the strait was vetoed by China and Russia hours earlier Washington and Tehran announced a impermanent ceasefire successful aboriginal April.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio successful a connection connected Tuesday accused Iran of continuing "to clasp the world's system hostage" by trying to adjacent the strait, threatening to onslaught ships, laying oversea mines, and attempting to complaint tolls "for the world's astir important waterway."

Whether the solution succeeds volition beryllium "a existent test" for the U.N. "as thing that functions, that tin lick planetary problems," Rubio added astatine the White House briefing.

During his property briefing with reporters, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Operation Epic Fury is over.

"The cognition is over," Rubio said. "Epic Fury is, the president notified Congress, we're done with that signifier of it. OK? We're present onto this task of freedom."

Project Freedom is simply a U.S. effort to assistance commercialized ships done the Strait of Hormuz.

"The operation, Epic Fury, is concluded," Rubio besides said. "We achieved the objectives of that operation."

Rubio said the contented of Iran's enriched uranium is being addressed successful negotiations, though helium didn't spell into wherever negotiations stand.