Sri Lanka denied US warplanes landing permission after IRIS Dena sinking: President

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday revealed that he rejected a request from the United States to land two of its war planes at Mattala International Airport after the start of the Iran war.

Speaking in the country’s Parliament, the Sri Lankan President said that US warplanes based in Djibouti, a critical maritime gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, had requested to land on March 4 and 8, but Colombo denied permission both times.

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“They wanted to bring in two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles from a base in Djibouti to the Mattala International Airport and we said no,” he told the Parliament.

Dissanayake further added that Sri Lanka will maintain its neutrality despite “many pressures”.

“We want to maintain our neutrality despite many pressures. We won’t give in. The Middle East war poses challenges, but we will do everything possible to remain neutral,” he said, asserting that the island nation will not be dragged into the conflict.

The development comes against the backdrop of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena’s sinking in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka’s Special Economic Zone.

On March 4, the day US warplanes made their first landing request, an American submarine torpedoed the Iranian vessel, killing 84 sailors.

Following the incident, the Sri Lankan navy swiftly launched a rescue mission and saved 32 sailors.

The vessel was heading to Iran after taking part in a peacetime naval exercise in India. After Dena’s sinking, Sri Lanka allowed a docking request from another Iranian vessel, IRINS Bushehr.

The vessel is currently docked at the eastern port of Trincomalee and its crew members have been accommodated at a naval facility near Colombo.