The United States is urging Sri Lanka not to send Iranian sailors back to Iran after a U.S. submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka. Survivors from the ship and crew from another Iranian vessel are currently in Sri Lankan custody, according to a U.S. State Department memo.
U.S. Pressure on Sri Lanka Over Iranian Crew
The United States has asked Sri Lanka’s government not to repatriate the survivors from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena that was sunk earlier this week in the Indian Ocean. The request was revealed in an internal U.S. State Department cable seen by Reuters.
The document reportedly states that Sri Lanka should avoid allowing Iran to use the detained sailors for propaganda purposes.
Iranian Warship Sunk Near Sri Lanka
A U.S. submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena about 19 nautical miles off the southern Sri Lankan city of Galle. The attack killed dozens of sailors and marked the first time since World War II that the United States sank an enemy ship using a torpedo.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the strike as a “quiet death” for the vessel.
Second Iranian Ship Crew in Sri Lankan Custody
Sri Lanka has also taken in the crew of another Iranian ship, the auxiliary naval vessel IRIS Booshehr. The ship became stranded within Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone but outside its maritime boundary.
Authorities in Sri Lanka said they had begun offloading 208 crew members from the vessel as part of a humanitarian response.
Sri Lanka Cites Humanitarian Responsibility
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the country had a humanitarian duty to assist the sailors who were rescued from the sea.
Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly asked Sri Lanka to help repatriate the bodies of those killed aboard the IRIS Dena, although officials have not announced when that process will begin.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise
According to the diplomatic cable, U.S. officials also informed Israeli diplomats that there were no plans to send the Iranian sailors back to Iran. The document suggested discussions about preventing Tehran from using the situation to gain political advantage.
The incident has added another layer of tension to the growing conflict between Iran and U.S.-allied forces in the region.