Iran’s military has warned US forces against attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz following President Donald Trump’s announcement of “Project Freedom”, an operation intended to help guide ships out of the strategic waterway.
The US military, however, emphasised that the effort would not constitute a formal “escort mission” as “guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members” will support “Project Freedom.”
In response, Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of the country’s armed forces, said Iran would target “any foreign armed force” seeking to approach or enter the strait, “especially the aggressive US army.” He reiterated that Iran has “repeatedly” asserted the strait is under its control and vowed that its forces would safeguard its security “with full strength.”
“We maintain and firmly manage the security of the Strait of Hormuz with full strength and call on all commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from transiting without coordination with the armed forces stationed in the Strait of Hormuz, so that their security is not endangered,” Abdollahi said.
The waterway is under the control of Iran’s armed forces, and any “aggressive action by America to disrupt the situation will only result in further complications and endanger the security of vessels” in the area, Abdollahi added.
Ali Abdollahi also said that Iran has “repeatedly” stated that the strait “is under the control” of its armed forces, and that safe passage must be coordinated with them “under all circumstances.” The statement was shared by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
President Donald Trump has announced a naval mission, dubbed “Project Freedom,” aimed at guiding stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz, with operations set to begin within a few hours, Monday morning, West Asia time.
In a statement, Trump said multiple countries, most of them not involved in the ongoing West Asia conflict, had requested US assistance to help free ships stuck in the congested and volatile maritime corridor. “Countries from all over the world have asked the United States if we could help free up their ships, which are locked in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, describing the vessels as belonging to “neutral and innocent bystanders.”
Trump stated that US forces would escort ships from non-involved nations “safely out of these restricted waterways,” enabling them to resume normal commercial operations. He added that the initiative would benefit not only the United States but also Iran and the broader West Asia region.
According to the announcement, US representatives have been instructed to inform concerned nations that Washington will use its “best efforts to get their ships and crews safely out of the Strait.”
He noted that vessels participating in the evacuation would not return until the area is deemed safe for navigation.
“This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time,” Trump said, adding that US officials are engaged in “very positive discussions” with Iran that could yield constructive outcomes.
Framing the operation as a humanitarian effort, Trump emphasized that many ships in the region are facing shortages of essential supplies, including food, raising concerns about crew welfare. “The movement is meant to free up people, companies, and countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong—they are victims of circumstance,” he said. “This is a humanitarian gesture.”
However, Trump also issued a warning, stating that any interference with the operation would be met with a firm response. “If this humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will have to be dealt with forcefully,” he said.
