President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that steps are being taken to bring the Iranian vessel *IRIS Bushehr* to the port of Trincomalee, while arrangements are also underway to transport its 208 crew members to the port of Colombo.
Addressing the media at the Presidential Secretariat, the President emphasized that Sri Lanka will maintain strict neutrality in the ongoing international conflict and will not allow its territory, sea areas, or airspace to be used by any country in a manner that harms another state.
“Our neutrality in any international conflict is clear. We will never allow our territory, our sea areas, or our airspace to be used in a way that is biased toward any state involved in the conflict or in a manner that causes harm to another state,” the President said.
He stated that the decisions taken by the government since the beginning of the conflict, including official statements and actions, have been guided by this principle of neutrality.
However, President Dissanayake stressed that humanitarian considerations remain a top priority.
“As a nation and as a state, while maintaining neutrality, humanity comes first. If there are measures to protect human lives, we will not hesitate to take them. That is the best policy for any state,” he said.
The President explained that on February 26 the Iranian government had requested permission from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for three naval vessels to enter Sri Lankan ports between March 9 and 13 as part of a proposed cooperation visit.
Authorities began reviewing the request according to established procedures, he said.
On February 27, Sri Lanka was informed that a sailor aboard the Iranian vessel *IRIS Bushehr* had drowned. Iran subsequently requested permission to bring the sailor and an officer ashore for humanitarian reasons. The Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force assisted in transporting the two individuals to land, where they were referred for medical treatment.
The President also revealed that on March 4 Sri Lankan authorities received reports that a vessel had been attacked outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, approximately 19 nautical miles off the coast of Galle.
Following distress signals from the area, the Sri Lanka Navy, with significant support from the Air Force, launched a large-scale rescue operation. During the mission, 32 individuals were rescued, while 84 bodies were recovered from the sea.
The government said further steps are now being taken in line with Sri Lanka’s neutral stance while prioritizing humanitarian assistance.
