Trump says US will escort trapped ships from Gulf amid ‘very positive’ talks with Iran

US president’s post announcing maritime escort operation follows flurry of mixed signals including concern Tehran had not ‘paid big enough price’

Donald Trump has announced that the US would begin escorting ships trapped by the Iran war out of the Gulf through the strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, and claimed his representatives were having “very positive” discussions with Iran.

Trump wrote on his social media site that the maritime escort operation would be called “Project Freedom”, and presented it as a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran”.