Sri Lanka said on Friday it would “prioritise our national interests” before providing assistance to the crews of 19 Iranian ships anchored in international waters near the island nation.
The United States and Iran have been at war since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes against the Islamic Republic. The ships are stationed 24 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s coast, according to Rodrigo. In March, a US torpedo attack sank the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena in Sri Lankan waters, killing 87 sailors.
A second Iranian vessel was brought to a Sri Lankan port after its crew reported technical problems.
“Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and the companies that supply ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States,” spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo told reporters, ruling out any immediate assistance to the vessels. The Iranian Embassy said it had no information on the matter. The crews are facing shortages of food, water and fuel. A foreign ministry spokesperson cited the risk of US sanctions against Sri Lankan companies supplying the vessels as a key concern. Rodrigo clarified, however, that Sri Lanka had received no communication from the United States warning of repercussions if it decided to assist the vessels. The ship was returning to Iran after participating in a naval exercise at India’s invitation. Wounded sailors were treated at Sri Lankan hospitals, while those rescued from the second vessel were safely repatriated to Iran. Sri Lanka is still recovering from an economic crisis, with both the United States and Iran serving as important trading partners. Washington played a key role in securing an International Monetary Fund bailout and supporting Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector to help avert a food crisis. (With AP inputs) You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.