When Iran Sought Port Access, US Jets Also Asked to Land: President Explains Decision

COLOMBO (News 1st); When Iran sought permission for its naval vessels to visit Sri Lanka, a request from the United States for its military aircraft followed on the very same day, placing the government before what President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described as a clear test of the country’s long‑standing policy of neutrality.

Addressing the issue, President Dissanayake said Sri Lanka has consistently maintained a neutral position and would not abandon it under any pressure.

He stressed that the dignity of the nation, the pursuit of justice, and international recognition could only be safeguarded by firmly protecting that neutrality.

The President acknowledged that some Members of Parliament and sections of public opinion had accused the government of favouring one side or failing to take timely decisions. He rejected those claims outright, describing them as completely false.

Explaining the sequence of events, President Dissanayake said that on February 26, 2026, Sri Lanka received a request from Iran seeking permission for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to the country on March 9 and March 13, as part of a tour aimed at strengthening cooperation.

At the time, authorities were studying the request and considering the approval process for the proposed dates.

He said that later that same afternoon, Sri Lanka received another request, this time from the United States. The US had sought permission for two naval fighter aircraft, belonging to the US Navy and stationed near the Djibouti port, to land at Mattala International Airport.

“At that point, we had two documents on our table,” the President said. “One request from Iran asking for entry for naval vessels on March 9 and 13, and another from the United States requesting permission for two naval fighter aircraft to land at Mattala.”

President Dissanayake said the government’s decision was taken with clarity, as signs of escalating military conflict were already emerging internationally. To protect Sri Lanka’s neutrality, permission was denied to both requests.

“That is neutrality,” he said.

Responding to criticism over the refusal to allow the Iranian vessels, the President asked what the consequences would have been if permission had been granted. He warned that Sri Lanka’s neutrality would have collapsed, either by appearing to side with one party or by being compelled to grant similar access to the other.

Such a move, he said, would have brought a distant conflict closer to Sri Lanka, potentially involving Mattala International Airport and the Port of Colombo.

“We will not do that,” President Dissanayake said, reiterating that under no pressure would Sri Lanka compromise the neutral stance it has protected.