# Wouldn’t it make sense for an Iranian ship’s captain to negotiate a surrender to US forces in 2026? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** iran-strikes-2026\ **Created:** [March 5, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230 "2026-03-05T17:01:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/21 "2026-03-05T18:25:38Z")
No problem, we’re only start to enforce this recently. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/22 "2026-03-05T18:25:44Z")
Serious question (But I suspect the answer is no): Does a submarine generally announce itself and offer surrender before firing? I mean, it seems like a good way for the enemy to get off the first volley. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/23 "2026-03-05T18:26:23Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Serious question (But I suspect the answer is no): Does a submarine generally announce itself and offer surrender before firing? The question is about the second ship that asked Sri Lanka for refuge, not the original ship that was sunk. It’s asking why they don’t surrender to the US instead of hiding in a neutral port. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/24 "2026-03-05T18:26:23Z")
Subs usually don’t announce themselves. nm ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/25 "2026-03-05T18:27:15Z")
Ah, I see. Teach me to read the OP more carefully. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/26 "2026-03-05T18:33:12Z")
I agree the Iranian Navy probably prefers martyrs. Hopefully the Captain and other Officers prefer surviving the war. It’s not like the Iranians can go down heroically fighting. They’re just a floating target against a modern submarine. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/27 "2026-03-05T18:37:40Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > The question is about the second ship that asked Sri Lanka for refuge, not the original ship that was sunk. It’s asking why they don’t surrender to the US instead of hiding in a neutral port. Nevertheless, the question is inadvertently germane. Rhetorical question: How does one go about surrendering to a submarine at sea? I remember Iraqis surrendering to a drone off the USS Missouri during Desert Storm, but (being a former submariner) I can’t think of a practical means for a ship to surrender to a submarine, especially if it is unlocated. Pulling into a neutral port and negotiating terms might be the only reasonable means of surrender. Whether that was the Iranian captain’s intent, I have no idea, but it seems plausible. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/28 "2026-03-05T18:39:31Z")
The Iranians can use their radio. Maybe use Sri Lanka as a third party contact to US officials? The ship might have useful intelligence they can offer. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/29 "2026-03-05T18:43:10Z")
Maybe a stupid question but can they do something like wave a giant white flag indicating that they are ready to surrender to whomever? (There is no way that this ship will do that) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/30 "2026-03-05T18:44:41Z")
There are many flag calls design for said and they can radio over their surrender. Navy Flag signals: > **[International maritime signal flags](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_maritime_signal_flags)** > > International maritime signal flags are various flags used to communicate with ships. The principal system of flags and associated codes is the International Code of Signals. Various navies have flag systems with additional flags and codes, and other flags are used in special uses, or have historical significance. > There are various methods by which the flags can be used as signals: > NATO uses the same flags, with a few unique to warships, alone or in short sets to communicate various unclassifi... ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/31 "2026-03-05T18:44:49Z")
I am sure that there is some diplomacy going on between Sri Lanka and the US as to what the US might do if they give the ship refuge. Would the US Navy blow up the ship if it was in a port there? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/32 "2026-03-05T18:45:27Z")
2 years ago, absolutely not. Today, I no longer know. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/33 "2026-03-05T18:52:40Z")
A submarine would never acknowledge either of those methods because doing so would compromise their position. As would the act of sending over a boarding party to accept the surrender. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/34 "2026-03-05T18:54:15Z")
Agreed, I thought I was answering a different question, not sub related. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/35 "2026-03-05T18:55:33Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Are Iranian ship captains even allowed to surrender their ship to foreign powers > > Once he’s done so, what’s the IRGC gonna do about it? Well, assuming that the IRGC is still in power when the ship is allowed to sail again, they will make life hell for the captain, the first officer and a couple of others too, I would suppose. But for that to happen the IRGC would have to stop or even beat the USA, which does not look probable right now. As far as I know when a military ship seeks refuge in a neutral port during wartime it has to stay there after 72 hours until the war is over. At least that is what happened to the **[Admiral Graf Spee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cruiser_Admiral_Graf_Spee)** in WWII (see in particular the section: Scuttling): > Under Article 17 of the [Hague Convention of 1907](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Convention_of_1907), neutrality restrictions limited _Admiral Graf Spee_ to a period of 72 hours for repairs in Montevideo, before she would be interned for the duration of the war. BTW; The Hague Convention of 1907 is interesting for this thread in its own right: > **[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 | Hague Convention of 1907](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Conventions_of_1899_and_1907#Hague_Convention_of_1907)** > > The Second Hague Conference, in 1907, resulted in conventions containing only few major advancements from the 1899 Convention. However, the meeting of major powers did prefigure later 20th-century attempts at international cooperation. > The second conference was called at the suggestion of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. It was postponed because of the war between Russia and Japan. The Second Peace Conference was held from 15 June to 18 October 1907. The intent of the conference was to... I guess it has been amended and extended since, but I suppose it still the base for assesing many situations at sea during wartime. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/36 "2026-03-05T19:04:45Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > A submarine would never acknowledge either of those methods because doing so would compromise their position. As would the act of sending over a boarding party to accept the surrender. I hope Sri Lanka gets involved and negotiates a resolution with the US State Department and Military Too many people are senselessly dying already. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/37 "2026-03-05T19:07:34Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Well, assuming that the IRGC is still in power when the ship is allowed to sail again, they will make life hell for the captain, the first officer and a couple of others too, I would suppose. They might do that to punish them for sitting out the war in Sri Lanka anyways, if they survive. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/38 "2026-03-05T19:13:07Z")
It seems there’s a minor similarity to a naval encounter in the South Atlantic in 1939: > **[Battle of the River Plate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_River_Plate)** > > 1939 > 1940 > 1941 In that case, the ship trapped in port (_Admiral Graf Spee_) was ordered to leave in 72 hours by the neutral nation of the port (Montevideo in Uruguay) and the commander opted to scuttle rather than either surrender to internment or go out and face near-inevitable defeat by a large Royal Navy task force waiting for them. I wonder if Sri Lanka would behave any differently. A warship belonging to a belligerent can only take very brief refuge in a neutral port. If the neutral nation exrends that, rather than insisting the warship either leave or surrender to internment, the neutral risks becoming a co-belligerent. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/39 "2026-03-05T19:17:31Z")
Yes, what I linked to three posts up. I maybe should have added this quote to make the situation clear: > Langsdorff was unwilling to risk the lives of his crew, so he decided to scuttle the ship. He knew that although Uruguay was neutral, the government was on friendly terms with Britain and if he allowed his ship to be interned, the Uruguayan Navy would allow British intelligence officers access to the ship. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230/40 "2026-03-05T19:18:03Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Well, assuming that the IRGC is still in power when the ship is allowed to sail again, they will make life hell for the captain, the first officer and a couple of others too, I would suppose. But for that to happen the IRGC would have to stop or even beat the USA, which does not look probable right now. They just have to survive, and every bomb the US drops makes them that much stronger politically. That’s how nations tend to react to bombing campaigns. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldn-t-it-make-sense-for-an-iranian-ship-s-captain-to-negotiate-a-surrender-to-us-forces-in-2026/1028230.md?page=3)