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A Sri Lankan Navy vessel approaches an Iranian vessel during a rescue operation, a day after the crew of a distressed Iranian military ship, IRIS Dena, were assisted in waters south of Sri Lanka, off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 5, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON:

The United States is pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate survivors and crew members from an Iranian warship and a second vessel currently in Sri Lankan custody following a naval strike in the Indian Ocean, according to an internal diplomatic memo.

A US submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena about 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s southern port city of Galle, killing dozens of sailors. The strike marked a major expansion of US military operations in the Iran conflict.

The cable, reportedly sent by the United States Department of State, said Sri Lankan authorities should avoid repatriating the 32 survivors from the Dena and crew members of the auxiliary vessel IRIS Booshehr, which is being held in Sri Lankan waters.

US officials reportedly urged Colombo to minimise what they described as Iranian propaganda efforts involving the detainees. The memo said there were no plans to return the crew to Iran during the ongoing conflict.

The Booshehr is currently being escorted to a harbour on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast.