WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States decided to halt “Project Freedom” after a request from Pakistan, with Islamabad arguing that suspending the initiative could improve prospects for broader diplomatic engagement and possible negotiations involving Iran.
Speaking about the matter, Rubio said Pakistani officials had conveyed to Washington that suspending the initiative would improve the prospects of reaching a broader understanding between the two sides.
Marco Rubio:
The reason why Project Freedom stopped was at the request of Pakistan. The Pakistanis said, “If you guys stop Project Freedom, we think we can get to a deal.”
We went ahead and agreed to stop it. pic.twitter.com/SgPaUvRce4
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 17, 2026
“The reason why Project Freedom stopped was at the request of Pakistan. The Pakistanis said, ‘If you guys stop Project Freedom, we think we can get to a deal,’” Rubio remarked while discussing the diplomatic engagement.
He added that the United States accepted the request and moved ahead with the suspension of the Project Freedom. “We went ahead and agreed to stop it,” Rubio said.
The US secretary of state, however, did not elaborate on the exact nature, objectives or operational scope of “Project Freedom”, nor did he specify the type of agreement or negotiations being referenced in his remarks.
The remarks suggest that ongoing diplomatic engagement and discussions between Islamabad and Washington may have contributed to the decision to suspend the initiative as part of broader efforts to advance dialogue and bilateral cooperation.
Project Freedom was a US naval operation launched on May 4, 2026, to support merchant shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran and growing instability in the Gulf region.
The mission was paused shortly after its launch as diplomatic efforts intensified. The operation had been described as part of broader maritime security measures linked to the ongoing US-Iran crisis and concerns over shipping routes in the strategically important waterway.
Pakistan has recently played an active mediatory role in regional diplomacy aimed at easing tensions and encouraging negotiations between the United States and Iran.
