Iran has accused the United States of committing an “atrocity at sea” after an Iranian naval frigate was struck in international waters near Sri Lanka yesterday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which had nearly 130 sailors on board, was attacked without warning while sailing in international waters after taking part in a naval event hosted by India.
“The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores,” Araghchi said in a statement. He added that the frigate had been a guest of the Indian Navy and warned that Washington would “bitterly regret the precedent it has set.”
The IRIS Dena reportedly came under attack off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan authorities earlier said a rescue operation was launched after the vessel was found in distress about 40 nautical miles off Galle.
Sri Lanka Navy personnel rescued 32 Iranian sailors from the sea and brought them ashore, where they were admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle for treatment.
Officials said more than 80 bodies have been recovered so far, while many others remain missing as search and rescue operations continue in waters south of the island.
The frigate had been returning after participating in the 2026 International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam, India.
The United States has said a U.S. submarine struck the Iranian warship with a torpedo, marking the first such attack by a U.S. submarine since World War II. (Newswire)
