US warns ships to keep maximum distance from Iranian waters
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- The US Maritime Administration issued Advisory 2026-001, urging American vessels to avoid Iranian waters.
- The incident, which required an escort from the USS McFaul to de-escalate, follows the downing of an Iranian drone by a US F-35C and coincides with high-stakes diplomatic talks in Oman.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) has issued a new advisory urging American-flagged commercial vessels to maintain maximum distance from Iranian territorial waters while navigating the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, following a recent incident involving Iranian forces.
This guidance, designated as Advisory 2026-001 and effective until August 8, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The advisory was prompted by an alleged incident on February 3, when six armed Iranian gunboats, equipped with 50-caliber machine guns, approached the US-flagged tanker Stena Imperative approximately 16 nautical miles off Oman's coast in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian forces radioed the vessel, ordering it to halt engines and prepare for boarding, claiming intent to seize it.
The tanker, chartered to support US Department of Defense fuel needs, increased speed and continued its course without entering Iranian waters.
In response to the threat, the Stena Imperative was escorted by the US Navy destroyer USS McFaul, leading to the de-escalation of the situation as Iranian vessels withdrew.
This event occurred shortly after a US Navy F-35C fighter jet downed an Iranian Shahed drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group in the region.
The warning comes amid threats of a US military strike on Iran, and also diplomatic talks in Oman that seek to de-escalate tensions.
