The US has issued new guidance urging US-flagged ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial waters and to avoid granting Iranian forces permission to board, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The advisory from the US Maritime Administration says crews should not forcibly resist if boarded, while stressing that non-resistance does not imply consent, and recommends eastbound vessels travel closer to Oman’s territorial sea for safety. The move follows indirect US-Iran talks in Oman after weeks of escalating rhetoric that brought the two countries close to conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz, described by Washington as the world’s most important oil chokepoint, has long been vulnerable to geopolitical turmoil, from the 1980s Tanker War to more recent regional confrontations and military exercises. While no immediate public threats to shipping have been made, the US has increased its military presence in the region as nuclear negotiations with Iran continue under sharp disagreement over uranium enrichment.
The Musandam Peninsula of Oman at the Strait of Hormuz
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