The United States has issued new guidelines urging American ships to stay as far from Iranian waters as possible while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The US Maritime Administration's advisory, released Monday, also warned captains not to physically resist Iranian forces if boarded. "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. The advisory recommends vessels transit close to Oman’s territorial sea when moving eastbound through the crucial shipping lane. The advisory follows a recent round of indirect US-Iran talks in Oman amid rising tensions. Historically, Middle Eastern shipping lanes have faced threats amid conflicts, including attacks during the Iran-Iraq war and by Yemen’s Houthi group targeting Israel-linked ships. Iran has hinted at closing the Strait of Hormuz if conflicts worsen. The US calls Hormuz the "world's most important oil chokepoint" due to its strategic role connecting major energy producers with the Indian Ocean. Last month, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard conducted naval drills in the Strait. The US military warned Iran against unsafe behaviour and shot down an Iranian drone near a carrier. The US has also seized Iranian oil tankers in past sanctions efforts. On the nuclear front, talks continue but remain tense. Iran insists on its right to uranium enrichment, while the US demands a stop. US Vice President JD Vance said President Trump is the ultimate decision-maker on these talks and prefers to keep details 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."