The advisory told crews to deny Iranian troops access to their ships and said that if boarding occurs without permission, “the crew should not forcibly resist the boarding party.” It added that “refraining from forcible resistance does not imply consent or agreement to that boarding.”
“It is recommended that U.S.-flagged commercial vessels transiting these waters remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial sea without compromising navigational safety,” the guidance said. It added, “When transiting eastbound in the Strait of Hormuz, it is recommended that vessels transit close to Oman’s territorial sea.”
The administration said ships moving east should avoid Iran’s territorial waters and remain nearer to Oman, noting the advisory will stay in effect until Aug. 8. The warning followed comments by President Trump, who said talks with Iran were “very good” but cautioned that “very steep” consequences could follow if no agreement is reached on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“You have to get in position,” Trump said last week. “We have plenty of time if you remember Venezuela, we waited around for a while and we’re in no rush.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the indirect talks in Oman as “a step forward,” according to Reuters, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a cautious note in an interview with Al Jazeera. “In my view this is very clear,” Araghchi said, according to a translation. “If the U.S. attacks us, it is evident that we don’t have the ability and access to attack U.S. territory, and therefore have to attack or retaliate to U.S. bases in the region. And unfortunately, U.S. bases are spread all over the region.”
The talks come after U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in June and amid heightened unrest inside Iran, where more than 6,900 people have been killed during recent anti-government protests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump on Tuesday to discuss expanding negotiations to curb Iran’s ballistic missile program and end support for Iran-backed groups, his office said.
