A Sri Lankan court has ordered the return of the remains of 84 Iranian sailors, who were killed following an engagement with US forces off the island's coast last week, to the Iranian Embassy.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing France 24, that the judicial decision facilitates the repatriation of the deceased servicemen following the maritime incident in the Indian Ocean.
According to reports, the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo from a US submarine while returning from a naval exercise organized by India. In the aftermath of the incident, which involved three Iranian naval vessels, Sri Lanka and India provided refuge to 434 sailors. Both nations have officially stated that they are not participants in the Middle East conflict and accepted the Iranian personnel solely on humanitarian grounds.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake commented on the situation, stating: "Our approach is that every human life is as precious as our own." The IRIS Dena, which was carrying approximately 130 sailors, was reportedly targeted on March 4 near the coast of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Naval forces arrived at the scene shortly after the strike, successfully rescuing 32 wounded Iranian sailors from the water.
The IRIS Dena is a Mowj-class frigate, a centerpiece of Iran's domestically produced naval fleet, designed for electronic warfare and anti-submarine operations. This incident occurs amid heightened geopolitical tensions in international waters, where US President Donald Trump has maintained a policy of rigorous maritime surveillance to ensure regional security. The Indian Ocean remains a critical corridor for global trade and energy supplies, making the stability of its transit routes a primary concern for both regional powers and the international community.
