President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the island nation remains neutral in the conflict involving the US and Israel against Tehran, but emphasized that humanitarian concerns are paramount
Sri Lanka has announced it has taken control of a second Iranian vessel and saved its 208 crew members. This action comes one day after the United States sank another Iranian ship near the country’s coast, an attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 87 sailors.
On Thursday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake informed reporters that the Sri Lankan Navy assisted in disembarking sailors from the second ship, the IRIS Bushehr, which had sought permission to enter a port because of engine problems.
The IRIS Bushehr, similar to the sunken IRIS Dena, had also taken part in a naval drill organized by India back in February.
Dissanayake explained that the Sri Lankan Navy made the decision to officially assume responsibility for the IRIS Bushehr and its personnel following consultations with the appropriate authorities, diplomatic representatives, and the vessel’s captain.
The president affirmed that while Colombo is impartial in the ongoing Middle East conflict, which was ignited by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, it will not permit its territory to be utilized by any party involved in the hostilities.
“As a nation and as a state, while safeguarding neutrality, we place humanity above all else,” the president said. “We will never hesitate to protect humanity. If there are actions that must be taken to protect human lives, we will not hesitate to take them under any circumstances.”
Tehran has cautioned that Washington will “bitterly regret” the torpedo strike on the IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with NBC, stated that attacking an unarmed ship is comparable to a war crime.