Iranian Naval vessel seeks urgent port call near Sri Lanka after US attack on warship
Tensions in the Indian Ocean rose sharply after an Iranian naval vessel sought an urgent port call near Sri Lanka. The request came just a day after a United States submarine sank an Iranian warship in nearby waters. The development has drawn attention across the region as the wider West Asian conflict continues to expand.
Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa disclosed the request on Thursday. He said authorities received information that another Iranian vessel now sails inside Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone. However, the ship remains just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.
Rajapaksa said the vessel has asked Colombo for immediate permission to enter a port. However, the Sri Lankan government has not granted clearance yet. He shared the update on social media platform X and said officials continue to review the request.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s media minister Nalinda Jayatissa also confirmed the presence of an Iranian warship near the island. However, he did not reveal additional operational details. Officials now monitor the situation closely as diplomatic and security considerations grow.
The request arrived shortly after a dramatic naval strike in the Indian Ocean. On March 4, a United States submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. The attack took place thousands of nautical miles away from Iran.
The Iranian vessel had recently returned from a multinational naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, India. After the exercise, the ship sailed through waters near Sri Lanka when the strike occurred.
The attack caused heavy casualties. Reports indicate that about 87 personnel lost their lives during the incident. Sri Lankan authorities later launched search and rescue operations in the surrounding waters.
Rescue teams managed to save 32 sailors from the sea. However, several crew members still remain missing. Authorities now presume many of them died during the strike.
The sinking of the Iranian frigate quickly became part of the broader conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel. The confrontation intensified after a series of military actions across West Asia.
United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the naval strike soon after the incident. He described the operation as a decisive victory for Washington.
Hegseth said American forces carried out the operation under the direct command of President Donald Trump. He added that the military launched the mission early on Saturday morning as part of a broader campaign.
The defence secretary also stressed that the United States intends to continue its operations alongside Israel. According to him, Washington plans to push forward until it secures its strategic objectives.
Meanwhile, the presence of another Iranian vessel near Sri Lanka has created a new diplomatic challenge for Colombo. Sri Lanka sits along critical shipping routes in the Indian Ocean. Therefore, any military activity near its waters carries regional implications.
Authorities in Colombo now face a sensitive decision. On one hand, humanitarian concerns could justify allowing the vessel to dock. On the other hand, geopolitical tensions could complicate any approval.
For now, Sri Lankan officials continue consultations while the Iranian vessel waits outside territorial waters. The situation remains fluid as the wider conflict stretches from West Asia into the Indian Ocean region.
