US says fate of rescued Iranian crew rests with Sri Lanka

Monday, 9 March 2026 06:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The US has said it respects Sri Lanka’s sovereignty in deciding how to handle matters relating to the Iranian warship IRIS Bushehr and its crew.

A spokesperson for the US Department of State said the final decision regarding the vessel, its 208 crew, and the rescued Iranian sailors rests with Sri Lanka, in line with the country’s domestic laws and international legal obligations.

Sri Lanka is also caring for 32 sailors from the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena under the country’s international treaty obligations after the frigate was sunk by a US submarine last week off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Following the incident, Sri Lanka deployed the Sri Lanka Navy to rescue survivors, while authorities also recovered 84 bodies from the sea.