The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict
Sri Lanka now hosts hundreds of Iranian naval personnel it pulled from the sea – with no clear plan for sending them home.
On Sunday, Colombo announced it would issue one-month humanitarian visas to the sailors. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said the decision strictly adhered to international maritime conventions and was in keeping with Sri Lanka’s non-aligned policy, allowing the government to meet its humanitarian obligations without appearing to take sides.
anura kumara dissanayakeaustraliacolombogalleindiaindian oceaninternational monetary fundiraniris bushehriris denajayne howellmiddle eastreuterssri lankastate departmentunited statesus department of stateus-israel war on iranwar and conflictwashington
