Khaberni - The American Maritime Administration has issued a warning to American commercial ships regarding the ongoing risk of inspection or detention by Iran, and recommended that they immediately seek distress assistance in case of an emergency.
The American Maritime Administration clarified that "commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman are at risk of being stopped by Iranian speedboats and helicopters".
It added: "If Iranian forces attempt to board a ship flying the American flag and sailing in these waters, the ship's captain, unless it would endanger the safety of the ship and its crew, should deny permission to board, indicating that the ship is acting in accordance with international law as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea".
The American Maritime Administration recommended that "ships flying the American flag stay as far away as possible from Iranian territorial waters, and when moving east through the Strait of Hormuz" try as much as possible "to sail near the territorial waters of Oman".
It also assured that "in case of any attack or incident or suspicious activity, to immediately activate the ship's security alert system (distress), and contact the duty officer in the US Fifth Fleet and the British Maritime Trade Office".
