US advises ships to ‘stay as far away’ from Iranian waters amid stalled Oman talks – Firstpost

The US has issued a warning for its ships travelling to the Strait of Hormuz, asking operators to “stay as far away” from Iranian waters as possible, as talks between the two countries falter.

The advisory was published by the US Maritime Administration on Monday, calling on ship captains not grant permission to Iranian forces to board their ships.

“If Iranian forces board a US-flagged commercial vessel, the crew should not forcibly resist the boarding party. Refraining from forcible resistance does not imply consent or agreement to that boarding,” the guidelines say.

They added, “It is recommended that US-flagged commercial vessels transiting these waters remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial sea without compromising navigational safety. When transiting eastbound in the Strait of Hormuz, it is recommended that vessels transit close to Oman’s territorial sea.”

The two rounds of talks between Washington and Tehran have reached a stalemate, with many observers concerned that US President Donald Trump would resort to military action against Iran.

How ships have become collateral damage of geopolitical tensions

Historically speaking, commercial vessels have often faced the brunt of tensions between two warring parties, and West Asia has especially witnessed many such attacks. For instance, the Iran-Iraq conflict in the 1980s prompted both countries to attack each other’s ships so often that it came to be known as the Tanker War.

More recently, Yemen’s Houthi group launched attacks on Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea, describing their campaign as an effort to end what they called Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

In June last year, after Israel bombed targets in Iran, an Iranian lawmaker hinted that closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route connecting the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, could be a potential response if the conflict escalates.

Iran-US talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi last week said Tehran is fully prepared to defend itself against any
“excessive demands or adventurism” by the United States, as the Oman-mediated talks between the two sides conclude.

Speaking in Muscat alongside Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, Araghchi said Iran would pursue diplomacy to protect its national interests. “Iran maintains full readiness to defend the country’s sovereignty and national security against any excessive demands or adventurism by the United States,” he said, as Trump declined to rule out military action against Tehran.