Newsmax: President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Operation Epic Fury would end and the Strait of Hormuz would reopen if Iran agrees to the latest U.S.-proposed memorandum of understanding, signaling what could be the clearest off-ramp yet from weeks of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
The proposed agreement would effectively freeze the current conflict and launch a new round of negotiations aimed at permanently reopening the strait, curbing Iran’s nuclear program, and easing U.S. sanctions, according to Axios and Reuters.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also warned Wednesday that if Iran rejects the proposal, military action would resume immediately.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump wrote.
The president’s comments came a day after he announced a temporary pause in Project Freedom, saying the move came at the request of Pakistan and other countries amid progress in negotiations with Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping chokepoints, carrying roughly 20% of global oil traffic.
Iran’s restrictions on maritime traffic there in recent weeks triggered sharp spikes in global energy prices and prompted the United States to launch “Project Freedom,” a naval escort mission designed to move stranded commercial ships through the waterway.
Under the emerging framework, Iran would reportedly agree to halt uranium enrichment temporarily while the United States would ease sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds.
The agreement also would begin rolling back restrictions imposed by both Iran and the U.S. around shipping in the strait.
The memorandum under discussion is reportedly a 14-point, one-page agreement being negotiated by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Iranian officials through direct and backchannel talks.
The framework would establish a 30-day negotiating period during which both sides would attempt to finalize a broader peace and nuclear agreement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States has completed its offensive operations against Iran, while warning that Washington is prepared to respond with “devastating” force to any new attacks on shipping in the strait.
Rubio’s comments came as U.S. military officials said American forces remain prepared to resume combat operations if ordered, amid renewed clashes threatening a fragile ceasefire in the region.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy warned vessels would face a “firm response” if they strayed from approved shipping routes through the strategic waterway, while Tehran signaled it was prepared to continue escalating tensions.
“We have not even started yet,” Iran’s chief negotiator said following confrontations in the strait.
The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones for a second consecutive day, though Tehran denied launching any attacks.
“The armed forces … did not launch any missile or drone operation,” Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya command said.
Iran fired missiles and drones at U.S. forces on Monday, while Washington said American forces destroyed six Iranian boats accused of threatening commercial shipping in the most serious escalation since a monthlong truce began.
U.S. Central Command remains “ready to resume major combat operations … if ordered,” Gen. Dan Caine told reporters.