US urges Sri Lanka not to repatriate Iranian sailors

The United States has called on Sri Lanka not to repatriate Iranian sailors from two military ships caught up in the conflict between Washington and Tehran, according to an internal US State Department document seen by Reuters.

On Wednesday, a US submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean about 19 nautical miles off the southern Sri Lankan port city of Galle. Dozens of Iranian sailors were killed in the attack, significantly widening the geographical scope of the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has begun transferring 208 crew members from a second Iranian military vessel, the IRIS Booshehr, which is stranded in its exclusive economic zone. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the state had a ‘humanitarian responsibility’ to assist the sailors.

According to an internal US diplomatic cable, Washington asked the Sri Lankan authorities not to return either the survivors from the Dena or the crew of the Booshehr to Iran. The United States also warned that the detained sailors could be used for propaganda purposes.

The US State Department said the final decision rests with Sri Lanka and must be in line with its domestic law and international obligations.

According to Sri Lankan authorities, the Booshehr will remain in custody during the conflict and its crew will be transferred to a naval camp near Colombo.

(reuters, max)