WASHINGTON - The US will pause escorting commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz barely a day after it began doing so, US President Donald Trump said, citing a desire to reach a peace deal with Iran.
Despite an uptick in military activity in recent days, Trump said "great progress has been made" toward a deal with Tehran and that the ship-guiding operation "will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalised and signed."
The announcement came hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States had completed its offensive operations against Iran, while withholding the right to unleash a "devastating" response to any new attacks on shipping in the narrow shipping lanes.
Rubio echoed Washington's top military officer who earlier in the day said that US forces were ready to resume combat operations if ordered.
And Trump added that the blockade of Iranian ports "will remain in full force and effect."
As these announcements were made in Washington, Iranian media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing, where he will on Wednesday meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
The US military escorts over the last day and a half -- dubbed "Project Freedom" by Trump -- drew Iranian attacks, threatening an already fragile ceasefire.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy warned of a "firm response" if ships deviated from its approved route through the strait, as the country's chief negotiator said Tehran "had not even started yet," following a spate of attacks in the crucial trade route.
The United Arab Emirates announced it was intercepting a barrage of missiles and drones from Iran for a second day -- a claim Tehran "categorically" denied.
"The armed forces...did not launch any missile or drone operation," Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya command said.
Iran fired missiles and drones at US forces on Monday, while Washington said it struck six Iranian boats it accused of threatening commercial shipping, in the sharpest escalation since a month-long truce.
US Central Command remains "ready to resume major combat operations...if ordered," General Dan Caine told reporters.
"No adversary should mistake our current restraint with a lack of resolve."
Trump earlier Tuesday urged Iran to "do the smart thing" and make a deal, saying he did not want to kill more Iranians even as the ceasefire teetered.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth had said the United States was "not looking for a fight" but warned attacks would face "overwhelming and devastating" force.
- AFP