Sri Lanka Denies US Permission to Station Fighter Jets for Attacking Iran

Sri Lanka has rejected permission from the United States (US) to station two of its fighter aircraft at a civilian airport in the south of the island. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake wants his country to remain neutral amid the turmoil of the Middle East conflict.

According to AFP, on Friday (20/3/2026), the request was turned down to preserve Sri Lanka’s neutrality and ensure that its territory is not used for any military purposes that could assist or hinder either side, Dissanayake told parliament.

The Indian Ocean nation was drawn into the consequences of war when US forces fired upon an Iranian frigate off its coast in March.

“They wanted to bring two armed fighter jets equipped with eight anti-ship missiles from a base in Djibouti to Mattala International Airport from 4 to 8 March, and we said ‘no’,” Dissanayake said.

He stated that the US submitted the request on 26 February. Iran made a similar request on the same day for three of its warships, returning from India after naval exercises, to dock at the port.

“We are still considering Iran’s request to bring three ships to Colombo from 9 to 13 March. If we say ‘yes’ to Iran, we would also have to say ‘yes’ to the US,” he said.

“But we did not. We firmly uphold our neutral position,” he added, to applause from the 225 members of parliament.

The US fired a torpedo at one of the Iranian ships, the IRIS Dena, off the southern coast of the island on 4 March, killing at least 84 sailors. The Sri Lankan navy rescued 32 survivors.

The second Iranian ship, the IRIS Bushehr, was allowed to enter Sri Lankan waters the following day amid concerns for the safety of its 219 crew members, who have since taken shelter in Colombo.

Sri Lanka maintains close relations with the United States, a major export market for the island, and Iran, a primary buyer of Sri Lankan tea.