TEHRAN, May 9 (ANI): Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran remains committed to expanding friendly relations with other nations based on mutual respect and shared interests while rejecting policies rooted in “colonialism and exploitation.”
In a post on X on Friday, Pezeshkian said, “The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to expand friendly relations based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
He added that “the policy of colonialism and exploitation will have no place in the future world.”
The Iranian president also emphasized Iran’s historical identity, saying tolerance is deeply rooted in Iranian culture while resistance against oppression has long been part of the country’s history.
“Just as tolerance is deeply rooted in the culture of our people, the struggle against oppression shines in the history of this land,” Pezeshkian said, adding that this identity “will continue for the exaltation of Iran’s name.”
Meanwhile, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said US naval forces disabled two additional Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of ongoing blockade measures against the Islamic Republic, while also redirecting 57 commercial vessels in the region.
In a statement issued Friday, CENTCOM said US forces disabled the Iranian tankers M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda before the vessels could enter an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) fired precision munitions into the smokestacks of both unladen oil tankers, preventing them from reaching Iranian territory.
The development follows a May 6 operation in which US forces disabled another Iranian-flagged tanker, M/T Hasna, as it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration may consider reviving the now-suspended maritime security initiative known as “Project Freedom,” aimed at assisting commercial vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional tensions in the Gulf.
Trump said that if an agreement is not reached with Iran, the renewed effort would expand into what he described as “Project Freedom plus.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House before traveling to a dinner at his golf course in Sterling, Virginia, Trump said he might “go back to Project Freedom” if negotiations fail, but added that it would be “Project Freedom plus,” meaning the initiative would include additional measures.
“We’ll go a different route if everything doesn’t get signed up, buttoned up,” Trump said.
“I think Project Freedom is good, but I think we have other ways of doing it also. We may go back to Project Freedom if things don’t happen, but it’d be Project Freedom plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things,” he added.
The comments came after Trump on Tuesday announced that “Project Freedom” would be temporarily paused while the naval blockade of Iran’s ports remains in place.
Trump also said his administration is awaiting a response from Iran regarding Washington’s proposal aimed at ending the ongoing West Asia conflict.
“We’ll hear from them supposedly tonight,” Trump told reporters when asked whether the United States had received any response from Tehran.
When asked whether he believed Iran was intentionally delaying the process, Trump responded, “We’ll find out soon enough.” (ANI)
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