Ruptly
"Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the prime minister had appreciated Donald Trump's 'timely announcement' to suspend 'Project Freedom' - guiding vessels through the Hormuz Strait - speaking on Tuesday. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan, His Excellency Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif, in an important statement yesterday, appreciated the timely announcement regarding the pause in Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz. The Prime Minister noted that Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy," he said. Andrabi also said that the handover of 22 crew members from the Iranian container ship MV Touska was a 'major confidence building measure'. Touska was seized by US forces in April, with Pakistan mediated the return of the crew to Iran. It came amid reports that an agreement between the US and Iran could be close. On Wednesday, Trump posted on social media that "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." "If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," he added. On Tuesday night, Trump announced a 'pause' in so-called 'Project Freedom' - the plan to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, he had warned that Iran would be 'blown off the face of the earth' if it attacked his vessels. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had dubbed Trump's 'Project Freedom' as 'Project Deadlock': "As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the US should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers." Around 2,000 ships are stuck in the Strait, with Iran blocking the key waterway to 'unfriendly' vessels - and the US blockading Iran's ports too. "
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