• MOD states Sri Lanka followed int’l law, principles of neutrality
• Iranian warship sought permission to enter Colombo harbour on 9 March  

Sri Lanka has turned down requests by Iran and other warring nations involved in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East to use local port and airport facilities, due to the requests not being in line with international law and the island’s foreign policy of neutrality, the Ministry of Defence says.

Ministry of Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha told The Sunday Morning in an interview that the Iranian warship IRIS Bushehr, which had originally sought permission to enter the Colombo Port with another two vessels on 9 March, had changed its request to seek entry on 5 March following the sinking of the IRIS Dena frigate on 4 March. 

Thuyacontha explained that under international law, a military asset (ship or aircraft) could only call at a port of a neutral country for 24 hours, after which it must vacate the port.

He told The Sunday Morning that there had been requests received from other countries, which were warring parties to the ongoing conflict, to use Sri Lankan facilities, but such requests, like the original request from the IRIS Bushehr, had not been allowed, as the requests for stay exceeded the parameters laid out in international law for such visits. 

“The requests made for a prolonged stay at Sri Lankan facilities could not be allowed due to international law and the country’s principles of neutrality,” he emphasised.

Read the full interview on page 8