US-Led Task Force Reroutes Hormuz Ships05/04 06:14

   The United States said Monday it is ready to "guide" commercial ships 
through the Strait of Hormuz in a new effort to end the blockade wreaking havoc 
on the global economy.

   DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- The United States said Monday it is 
ready to "guide" commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in a new effort 
to end the blockade wreaking havoc on the global economy.

   The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships to cross the 
strait in Oman's waters, saying it had set up an "enhanced security area." The 
American military has said the initiative might involve guided-missile 
destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members but has not 
specified what kind of assistance or escorts it would provide ships.

   That has left open the question of whether shipping companies, and their 
insurers, will feel comfortable taking the risk given that Iran has fired on 
ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so.

   Iran's control of traffic through the crucial artery for the world's oil and 
gas supplies has proved a major strategic advantage in its war with the U.S. 
and Israel, allowing Iran to inflict tremendous pain on the global economy 
despite being outgunned on the battlefield.

   US offers to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz

   The effort to revive traffic risks unraveling the fragile ceasefire that has 
held for more than three weeks.

   U.S. President Trump in a social media post on Sunday promised that the U.S. 
would "guide" ships out of the strait, warning that Iranian efforts to block 
them "will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully."

   He described part of what he called "Project Freedom" in humanitarian terms, 
designed to aid stranded seafarers, many on oil tankers or cargo ships, have 
been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crews have described to The 
Associated Press seeing intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters 
as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.

   Iran's state-run IRNA news agency later called Trump's "Project Freedom" 
part of his "delirium." Iran's military command said on Monday that ships 
passing must coordinate with them.

   "We warn that any foreign military force -- especially the aggressive U.S. 
military -- that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be 
targeted," Major General Pilot Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.

   It was unclear as of Monday morning whether any vessels, many of which have 
become essentially stranded by the standoff, were attempting to cross or 
whether ships were staying put.

   The Joint Maritime Information Center said the U.S. has set up an "enhanced 
security area" near the Oman side of the strait. It urged mariners to 
coordinate closely with Omani authorities "due to anticipated high traffic 
volume."

   It warned that passing close to usual routes, know as the traffic separation 
scheme, "should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines 
that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated."

   Iran stands firm

   The disruption of the waterway has become one of the most enduring 
consequences of the war that the U.S. and Israel launched Feb. 28, squeezing 
countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas and 
raising gasoline, food and other prices far beyond the region.

   Iran has put particular pressure on Trump, who promised to bring down gas 
prices and faces midterm elections this year, and has called U.S. moves to 
dislodge its grip over the strait ceasefire violations. They have vowed not to 
return the strait to prewar conditions and moved to impose charges on 
transiting ships.

   The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying 
Iran and enacted a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling 49 
commercial ships to turn back, U.S. Central Command said Sunday.

   The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its 
ailing economy.

   U.S. officials hope the blockade helps break the deadlock, forcing Iran back 
to the negotiation table under pressure. Yet thus far negotiations are still in 
the proposal and review phase, with no publicly announced talks between the 
U.S. and Iran underway.

   "We think that they've gotten less than $1.3 million in tolls, which is a 
pittance on their previous daily oil revenues," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott 
Bessent told Fox News on Sunday, adding that Iran's oil storage is rapidly 
filling up and "they're going to have to start shutting in wells, which we 
think could be in the next week."

   Iran's 14-point proposal made public over the weekend calls for the U.S. 
lifting sanctions on Iran, ending the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, 
withdrawing forces from the region and ceasing all hostilities, including 
Israel's operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and 
Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran's security organizations.

   Iranian officials said they received and were reviewing the U.S. response, 
though Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters on Monday 
that changing demands, which he did not detail, made diplomacy difficult.

   Iran has publicly claimed its proposal does not include issues related to 
its nuclear program and enriched uranium -- long a driving force in tensions 
with the U.S.

   Iran's proposal wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end 
the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iran's state-linked 
media. Trump on Saturday said he was reviewing the proposal but expressed doubt 
it would lead to a deal.

   Iranian crew taken off seized tanker

   Pakistan said Monday it has facilitated the transfer of 22 crew members from 
an Iranian vessel seized by the U.S., describing the move as a 
confidence-building measure as Pakistant attempts to revive talks between the 
two sides.

   Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the crew members, who 
had been aboard the Iranian container ship MV Touska, were evacuated and flown 
to Pakistan overnight. They are expected to be handed over to Iranian 
authorities.

   The vessel will be brought into Pakistani territorial waters for necessary 
repairs before being returned to its original owners, the ministry said, adding 
that the process is being coordinated with the support of Iran and the U.S.