US Warns Ships to Avoid Iranian Waters in Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions

The United States has issued updated navigational guidance for US-flagged commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, urging ships to remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial waters as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated.

In notices issued on Monday, the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration advised American ship captains to verbally decline permission if Iranian forces seek to board US-registered vessels.

“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 advisory said.

“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,” it said.

The Maritime Administration said boarding attempts, including efforts to force commercial vessels into Iranian waters using small boats and helicopters, have occurred as recently as February 3.

Leaders Signal Progress but Warn of High Stakes Ahead

The guidance followed indirect talks between the United States and Iran held in Oman late last week, marking the first discussions between the two sides since US forces bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities during a 12-day conflict in June 2025.

That conflict erupted after Israel launched strikes while negotiations between Tehran and Washington were still underway.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian described the Oman talks as “a step forward”, while signalling they would be the opening phase of a longer diplomatic process rather than a rapid route to resolution.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told state media the talks were a “good start”.

President Donald Trump said the talks were “very good” and that further sessions were planned, even as he warned Iran that failure to reach a deal would carry “very steep” consequences.

Asked about Washington’s red line in the negotiations, US Vice President JD Vance said the president would likely keep his position private.

“If you go back to the original negotiation that happened between us and the Iranians, the president was trying very, very hard to actually strike a constructive deal that would have been good for the United States,” Vance said. “But frankly, the entire administration agreed if the Iranians were smart enough to have made that agreement, then it would have been good for them, too.”

Netanyahu Visit Highlights Israeli Push for Tougher Iran Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet Trump in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the US-Iran talks.

Israel has lobbied Washington to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme, curb its ballistic missile programme and end its support for militant groups in the region.

Iranian officials have said the current negotiations are “exclusively nuclear”, while the Trump administration has indicated it also wants to address Iran’s missile capabilities, its support for regional non-state actors such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and human rights issues.

One of the central unresolved disputes remains uranium enrichment. Iran, which denies pursuing nuclear weapons, argues enrichment is a sovereign right under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, while Trump has pushed for zero enrichment.

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is considered by Washington to be the “world’s most important oil chokepoint”.

Strait of Hormuz and the Stakes for Global Oil Supply

About 13 million barrels per day of crude oil transited the strait in 2025, accounting for nearly a third of global seaborne crude flows, according to market intelligence firm Kpler.

Any disruption could have significant repercussions for global energy markets.

Shipping lanes in the region have repeatedly come under strain during periods of instability. During the Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s, both sides targeted merchant shipping in what became known as the Tanker War.

In more recent years, Yemen’s Houthi group has attacked vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea, describing the campaign as an attempt to pressure Israel to end its war in Gaza.

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz intensified further after Israeli strikes on Iran in June last year, when an Iranian lawmaker publicly suggested closing the waterway if hostilities escalated.

Naval Drills, Drone Incident Raise Military Tensions

In late January, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted naval drills in the strait, prompting warnings from the US military against what it described as “unsafe and unprofessional” actions.

The US military later said it had shot down an Iranian drone that approached one of its aircraft carriers operating in the region.

Washington has previously seized Iranian oil tankers as part of its sanctions campaign, while Iran has at times seized commercial ships and oil tankers transiting the strait, alleging smuggling.

In 2019, the United Arab Emirates reported sabotage incidents involving four vessels in the Gulf of Oman, although there have been no recent publicly declared threats against commercial shipping.

The United States has continued to strengthen its military posture in the region, with Trump repeatedly warning of renewed strikes against Iran.

In December, he said Washington would attack Iran if it sought to revive its nuclear or missile programmes.

Most recently, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on imports from any country that “directly or indirectly” purchases goods from Iran, following through on a threat made last month.

(With inputs from ANI)