US to pause effort to guide ships out of Strait of Hormuz to focus on Iran deal

President Donald Trump says the US is pausing operations in the Strait of Hormuz to try and finalise a peace deal with Iran (Luis M Alvarez/AP) - (AP)

President Donald Trump says the United States will pause efforts to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz in order to try and finalise a deal with Iran.

American forces had attempted to reopen the strait earlier this week, but Mr Trump confirmed a US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place while talks were held.