Sri Lanka to handle Iranian vessel in accordance with international law

Colombo (ANTARA) - Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday, 5 March, said his government has taken over the operations concerning the Iranian Navy vessel IRIS Bushehr and its crew, acting as a neutral country under international conventions, while authorities seek to bring the crew ashore and relocate the vessel from Sri Lanka’s main commercial port.

IRIS Bushehr is an Iranian Navy ship that took part in the International Fleet Review 2026, a maritime cooperation exercise held in India with IRIS Dena, which sank off the southern coast of the island following an attack by a United States submarine on Wednesday, 4 March.

Dissanayake told a press conference that IRIS Bushehr reported to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday and requested permission to enter the country’s port.

He said Sri Lanka, which upholds humanitarian values, is handling the situation in accordance with international obligations, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Describing it as an unusual situation since the ship belongs to parties involved in the ongoing conflict, the president said officials have been in ongoing discussions with the ship’s captain, crew, and the Iranian Embassy, and decided to place the vessel and personnel under Sri Lanka’s protection in accordance with agreed procedures.

He said the government decided not to bring the ship to Colombo Port because of commercial sensitivities. Instead, Sri Lanka will move the crew ashore to Colombo by naval vessel, then relocate the ship to the Trincomalee harbour area in the eastern part of the country.

Dissanayake said the personnel to be brought ashore include 53 officers, 84 cadet officers, 48 senior sailors, and 21 sailors. They will be stationed at Welisara Naval Camp in the Western Province after medical screening and registration.

After the evacuation, a joint essential team comprising Sri Lankan Navy personnel and 42 crew members will guide the ship to the Trincomalee area, he added.