PM Shahbaz welcomes Trump's decision to pause 'Project Freedom' in Hormuz at Pakistan's request

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed gratitude to Donald Trump after the US president announced a pause in “Project Freedom,” an operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing “great progress” towards a comprehensive agreement with Iran as well as requests from Pakistan and other countries.

In a post on X, the prime minister thanked President Trump for his “courageous leadership and timely announcement.”

Shahbaz said the development came in response to requests from Pakistan and “other brotherly countries,” particularly the "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and my dear brother Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman."

“The President’s gracious response … will go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during this sensitive period,” he wrote.

The prime minister said that Pakistan remained “firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.”

He further expressed hope that the “current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond.”

 Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war. 

Trump's operation, dubbed "Project Freedom," to help vessels leave the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint to the Gulf where Iran has seized control in response to being attacked, began on Monday.

 But the US leader said on Truth Social that he was now pausing it after a request by mediator Pakistan and other countries, saying that "great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement" with Tehran. 

"We have mutually agreed that, while the blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom ... will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalised and signed," Trump said.

Hours before Trump's announcement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had ‌outlined the effort that began on Monday to escort stranded tankers out of the Gulf. The strait has been virtually shut since the conflict began, blocking some 20% of world oil supplies and igniting a global energy crisis.

"Based on the request of Pakistan and other countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the campaign...Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran." He wrote on Truth Social.

Washington is maintaining a blockade of Iran's ports in a bid to pressure Iran to make a deal to end the war that the US and Israel launched on Feb 28.
 
Tensions had been soaring over the Hormuz operation, with the US saying it had sunk seven Iranian boats, and several civilian vessels coming under attack, allegedly from Iran.
 
The clashes in the Strait of Hormuz were not part of the original war, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said earlier.
 
"This is not an offensive operation; this is a defensive operation," Rubio said. "And what that means is very simple - there's no shooting unless we're shot at first." He added that the US has completed its offensive operations against Iran, which it named "Operation Epic Fury."