President Trump said Tuesday he has paused Project Freedom<\/span> \u2014 a U.S. effort announced over the weekend to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 to see if the United States can strike a deal with Iran.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n The president announced the about-face in a Truth Social post, writing that the project is on hold “for a short period of time” because the U.S. and Iran have made “Great Progress\u2026toward a Complete and Final Agreement.” He said he made the decision at the request of Pakistan, which has helped mediate negotiations between the United States and Iran.<\/p>\n The U.S.’s blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place, Mr. Trump said.<\/p>\n This is a breaking story; it will be updated.<\/em><\/p>\n