In a firm assertion of its neutral foreign policy, Sri Lanka declined a request from the United States to allow two of its warplanes to land at Mattala International Airport in the island’s southern region earlier this March. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed this decision during a parliamentary session on Friday, emphasizing the country’s commitment to impartiality amid escalating tensions in the region.
President Dissanayake explained that the US sought to station two armed warplanes, each equipped with eight anti-ship missiles, at the Mattala facility from March 4 to March 8. These aircraft were reportedly to be transferred from a base in Djibouti. However, Sri Lanka firmly rejected the request, underscoring its stance as a neutral nation unwilling to become entangled in foreign military conflicts. This move came at a time when the island nation was also navigating complex diplomatic waters involving Iran, a major buyer of Sri Lankan tea, its principal export commodity.
Adding further context, the President addressed circulating claims suggesting that Sri Lanka had signed agreements with the United States that influenced its decisions regarding Iranian vessels seeking port access. He strongly refuted these allegations, describing them as misleading and unjust. The controversy centered around an 11-hour delay in allowing Iranian ships to dock, which some critics argued led to adverse consequences for the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena. President Dissanayake labeled these accusations as “outrageous” and “inhumane,” stressing that Sri Lanka’s actions were based on principles of fairness and international law rather than favoritism.
On February 26, Sri Lankan authorities received simultaneous requests: one from Iran for three vessels to make a goodwill visit between March 9 and 13, and another from the US seeking permission for its warplanes to land at Mattala Airport. Faced with these concurrent appeals, Sri Lanka chose to deny both, maintaining a balanced approach. The President highlighted that granting access to one party would have necessitated extending the same courtesy to the other, potentially compromising the country’s neutral position. This decision reflects Sri Lanka’s careful navigation of its diplomatic relationships, especially given its close economic ties with both the United States and Iran.
President Dissanayake also elaborated on the humanitarian response following the US torpedo attack on the Iranian ship IRIS Dena off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on March 4. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of at least 84 sailors. Demonstrating adherence to international maritime laws and humanitarian commitments, Sri Lanka’s navy promptly conducted search and rescue operations, successfully saving 32 survivors from the stricken vessel. The following day, another Iranian ship, IRIS Bushehr, was permitted entry into Sri Lankan waters, where its crew of 219 sought refuge in Colombo amid concerns for their safety.
Clarifying the nature of Sri Lanka’s agreements with the United States, the President noted that these pacts do not extend to military alliances or obligations in the event of war. Instead, the agreements focus on areas such as aviation cooperation, training in the use and maintenance of equipment, marine security awareness, cybersecurity, technology sharing, humanitarian aid, and disaster response. This distinction reinforces Sri Lanka’s commitment to remaining outside of military conflicts while fostering cooperation in non-combat sectors.
Responding to ongoing criticism over the refusal to grant port access to Iranian vessels, President Dissanayake warned of the potential repercussions had Sri Lanka chosen otherwise. He cautioned that allowing such access could have jeopardized the nation’s neutrality, either by appearing to side with one faction or by obliging Sri Lanka to provide similar privileges to opposing parties. Such developments risked drawing distant geopolitical conflicts closer to Sri Lankan soil, particularly involving strategic locations like Mattala International Airport and the Port of Colombo. The President concluded by reaffirming that Sri Lanka will steadfastly uphold its neutral stance, resisting any external pressures to compromise its sovereignty or diplomatic principles.
