Trump says U.S. will guide stranded ships from ‘neutral and innocent’ countries out of the Strait of Hormuz while hinting at positive Iran talks

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a project that will start on Monday to help stranded ships leave the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, but offered few details. In a social media post on Sunday, Trump said “neutral and innocent” countries have been affected by the Iran war, and “we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.” “Project Freedom” would begin on Monday morning in the Middle East, Trump said and added that his representatives are having discussions with Iran that could lead to something “very positive for all.” Iran’s grip on the strait, imposed after the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, has shaken global markets. Trump spoke hours after Iran said it was reviewing the U.S. response to its latest proposal to end the war and but made clear these are not nuclear negotiations. A cargo ship is attacked near the strait A cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz said it was attacked by multiple small craft, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported earlier Sunday. It was the latest in at least two dozen attacks in and around the strait since the Iran war began. All crew on the unidentified northbound cargo ship were safe after the attack off Sirik, Iran, east of the strait, the British monitor said. Iranian officials have asserted that they control the strait and that ships not affiliated with the United States or Israel can pass if they pay a toll, challenging the freedom of navigation guaranteed by international law. Iran denied an attack, the semiofficial Iranian outlets Fars and Tabnak reported, and said a passing ship had been stopped for a documents check as part of monitoring. The monitor said it was the first reported attack in the area since April 22. Tehran has effectively closed the strait by attacking and threatening ships, and the threat level in the area r