At the end of March, Donald Trump’s position on sending potential ground troops was still uncertain. However, the strategic ambiguity decreased when the White House tenant decided on Sunday, May 3, to send no less than 15,000 marines to the Strait of Hormuz. Their goal is to escort ships from countries “not involved in the conflict in the Middle East” in the Strait of Hormuz, as announced by Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform. This is part of a “Project Liberty” proclaimed by Trump, who also mentioned the dispatch of over a hundred aircraft and missile-carrying destroyers.
In response, Iranian armed forces warned the US military, as reported by Le Parisien. General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam Al-Anbiya armed forces command, stated, “We warn all foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive American military: if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, they will be targeted and attacked.” Iranian official Ebrahim Azizi also emphasized that any American interference in the strait would be seen as a “violation of the ceasefire.”
Iran urges the United States to adopt a “reasonable approach.” Diplomatically, the Iranian government acknowledges its willingness to continue negotiations in the face of Donald Trump’s military approach, as reported by BFMTV. Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “At this stage, our priority is to end the war. We cannot ignore past tensions. We have negotiated twice on nuclear aspects and, simultaneously, we have been attacked by the United States.” He further added, “The other party must resolve to adopt a reasonable approach and let go of excessive demands regarding Iran.”
Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron called for a “concerted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz” between the two belligerents. During the opening plenary session of the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, the President asserted that Europeans could “facilitate the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.” This move aims to position the European Union as a diplomatic and economic intermediary voice, particularly as the United States announced the withdrawal of 5,000 American soldiers stationed in Germany.
