Last UpdateMay 6, 2026, 1:33 AM EDT

Project Freedom, the U.S. military effort to guide ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, is paused for ‘a short period of time’ amid Iran agreement progress, Trump says.

Covered by: Anders Hagstrom, Emma Bussey and Efrat Lachter

WHAT TO KNOW

• Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
• Two U.S. Navy destroyers successfully transited the strait on Monday while fending off a barrage of small boats, missiles and drones.
• The United Arab Emirates also intercepted more than a dozen missiles launched from Iran on Monday.
• President Donald Trump has vowed Iran will be “blown off the face of the earth” if they continue attacking U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that at least 10 crew members have died ahead of President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz.
• President Donald Trump announced that “Project Freedom,” to secure ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz, will be paused temporarily.

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BREAKING NEWS10 hours ago

PINNED

Trump announces temporary pause of ‘Project Freedom’ amid progress toward Iran deal

Trump / Matt Rourke/AP Photo

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “Project Freedom,” the U.S. effort to secure ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz, will be paused temporarily following what he described in a post on Truth Social as significant progress toward a potential agreement with 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 said.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

8 hours ago

Pezeshkian says no one can force Iran to surrender after call with Iraqi PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signaled Tuesday that no foreign power could force Iran to surrender.

“We Muslims have already surrendered to the Almighty; no one else can make us surrender,” Pezeshkian said in a post shared on X.

“In my call with Iraq’s PM @AliFalihAlzaidy, I urged the U.S. to remove military threats from our region; followers of the Shiite school cannot be coerced by force. #Iran #Iraq,” he said.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

8 hours ago

Araghchi arrives in Beijing to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister

/ Shadati / Xinhua via Getty Images

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing Tuesday ahead of scheduled talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, according to Iran’sTasnim and Fars news agencies.

“Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing … at the head of a diplomatic delegation. During this visit, our country’s foreign minister will discuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpart,” Fars reported, according to The Times of Israel.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

9 hours ago

US troops in the Middle East ‘strongest fighting force the world has ever known’: CENTCOM

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday praised American service members deployed across the Middle East, calling them “the strongest fighting force the world has ever known.”

“America’s men and women in uniform serving across the Middle East represent the strongest fighting force the world has ever known,” the command said in a post shared on X.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

10 hours ago

Claude cited Kremlin-linked sources while repeating disinformation: report

A new review by NewsGuard has raised concerns about AI chatbots’ ability to handle disinformation, finding that Anthropic’s Claude repeated false claims in up to 15% of tested responses, Ynetreported on Tuesday.

In many of these cases, the chatbot cited sources linked to the Kremlin, showing a sharp increase from earlier tests, when the rate stood at just 4%.

The new findings suggest a growing vulnerability to coordinated propaganda, especially from Russianand Iranian sources.

The chatbot was also found to echo misleading narratives and, in some instances, rely on questionable or state-linked sources to support its responses, the report said.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

11 hours ago

Iran ‘deep state’ fears rise as Mojtaba Khamenei’s status unclear: report

Mojtaba Khamenei

Uncertainty over Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and the ambiguity around Iran’s leadership are raising questions about who is in charge, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

“Whether Mojtaba is well is a question we have been asking since February 28,” Dr. Thamar Eilam Gindin said Tuesday in a radio interview, the outlet reported.

“The answer changes with every leak. Rumors that he is dead are multiplying, which is what many thought from the beginning,” Gindin said.

Speculation intensified after a ceremony in a small Iranian city honoring “martyrs of the war,” where Mojtaba’s photograph reportedly appeared among the images displayed.

Gindin said Mojtaba roles have also largely been unofficial or unclear.

“There is a group, and it is not clear who they are, that says things in Mojtaba’s name and uses him as legitimacy for the decisions they make,” she said.

She described what has been called the Iranian “deep state,” adding it remains unclear who belongs to the group, how it operates, or how decisions are made.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

11 hours ago

Rubio speaks with Lavrov on Iran, Ukraine war, deteriorating US-Russia relationship

Lavrov / Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service telegram channel via AP

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the deteriorating U.S.-Russia relationship, the war in Ukraine and Iranian aggression, Reuters reported.

The call comes as the U.S. pressures the United Nations Security Council on a resolution to condemn Tehran’s effective shutting down of the Strait of Hormuz.

During a press briefing earlier Tuesday, Rubio had called it a “test of the utility of the United Nations.” He also directly challenged Moscow and Beijing.

“To both the Chinese and the Russians, I have argued that it is in their interest for that resolution to pass,” Rubio said.

“It is in their interest not to see international waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, closed and cause economic chaos for dozens and dozens of countries around the world,” he added.

Posted by Emma Bussey 

12 hours ago

Iranians describe factory closures, unpaid wages, soaring prices as economic crisis deepens

Iran / Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Iranians are suffering through job layoffs, unpaid wages and rising food prices, Iran Internationalreported Wednesday.

“We do not know how we can go on with these prices. Yesterday I bought two sausages. It cost 1 million rials (about 70 cents),” one person said in a message sent to the outlet.

At the same time, Iran’s minimum wage has fallen below $90, and the rial continues to lose value, hitting a new low this week.

Another message said workers at a glass factory had still not received their March wages and that supplementary insurance had been cut.

Several citizens linked the deterioration to factory closures after the ceasefire, shortages of raw materials and rising rents.

“Since the ceasefire, most factories have shut down, especially in industrial estates. Everyone has become unemployed because of shortages of raw materials. Daily goods have become more expensive, deposits and rents have gone up, and medical and drug costs have soared,” another message said.

Posted by Emma Bussey