Sri Lanka ferries Iranian sailors ashore amid regional tensions
Sri Lanka began transferring more than 200 sailors from the Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr to shore after the ship sought assistance outside Sri Lankan waters, with some crew remaining aboard to guide the ship to Trincomalee while others are taken to a naval base for medical checks and immigration; the move follows the U.S. sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena and underscores Sri Lanka’s neutrality and commitment to international maritime law.