President Explains Decision On Iranian Ship

COLOMBO(News 1st); President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka must act carefully as a neutral country when dealing with naval vessels linked to parties involved in conflicts.

He made these remarks at a media briefing held at the Presidential Secretariat to clarify matters regarding the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Bushehr that was near Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The President said the vessel had informed Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry on the 4th, requesting permission to enter a local port.

He added that since the vessel belongs to a country involved in an ongoing conflict, Sri Lanka must handle the matter in line with international conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

President Dissanayake further said several rounds of discussions were held with naval officials, the ship’s captain, and the Embassy of Iran in Sri Lanka.

He noted that Sri Lanka eventually proposed taking responsibility for the vessel and its crew, and a mutual agreement was reached regarding the rescue of those on board and the positioning of the ship.