Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh claimed Friday that the IRIS Dena warship—sunk by a US submarine off Sri Lanka on March 4, killing 87 sailors—was unarmed and returning from Indian naval exercises when attacked. He condemned the strike during a visit to India, linking it to broader US aggression including the killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Building on reports of the March 4, 2026, torpedoing of Iranian warship IRIS Dena by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka (see prior coverage on US confirmation and Indian reactions), Iran has sharply condemned the attack.
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, speaking Friday during a visit to India, stated the vessel was 'unloaded' and 'unarmed,' returning after participating in India's International Fleet Review and Milan 2026 exercise by invitation. 'This is a very sad, very unfortunate incident. That vessel was by invitation of our Indian friends, attending an international exercise. It was ceremonial,' he said, accusing the US of striking a 'guest of the Indian Navy' without warning.
Indian sources noted the ship was a guest only until February 25 and did not seek aid post-conflict escalation. The Indian Navy responded to a March 4 distress via MRCC Colombo, deploying patrol aircraft and INS Tarangini, though Sri Lankan forces led rescue by then.
Khatibzadeh tied the incident to the recent US-Israel attack killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning, 'Americans have assassinated the head of another state. If it is the new norm, then nobody, no country on earth can actually have diplomatic normalisation.' Tehran vowed continued resistance amid escalating US-Iran tensions, including Iranian strikes on US bases after Tehran attacks.
