The United States is pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate survivors from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, sunk by a U.S. submarine earlier this week, along with the crew of a second Iranian vessel currently in Sri Lankan custody, according to an internal State Department cable dated March 6, 2026, obtained by Reuters. The cable reveals that U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Jayne Howell conveyed this position to Sri Lankan authorities, emphasizing that neither the 32 Dena survivors nor the approximately 208 crew members from the IRIS Booshehr should be returned to Iran to prevent Tehran from using them for propaganda purposes.

The incident stems from the March 4 sinking of the IRIS Dena, a frigate returning from a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, in international waters about 19-25 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's southern coast near Galle. A U.S. fast-attack submarine fired a single torpedo, killing at least 87 crew members, with Sri Lanka's navy rescuing 32 injured survivors and recovering dozens of bodies amid oil slicks and floating debris. Around 60 individuals remain unaccounted for from the vessel's estimated 180-person complement. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the strike as a precise operation that demonstrated American naval superiority, terming it a "quiet death" for the Iranian ship.

Sri Lanka, maintaining its neutral stance in the broader U.S.-Iran conflict, responded to distress signals by deploying ships and aircraft for search-and-rescue efforts. The survivors are receiving medical treatment at Galle National Hospital, while recovered bodies are being stored in facilities arranged by authorities. Separately, the IRIS Booshehr, an auxiliary naval vessel that experienced engine issues and requested assistance, entered Sri Lanka's exclusive economic zone; its crew was evacuated and interned near Colombo, with the ship moved toward a northeastern harbor under Sri Lankan oversight. Iranian officials have requested help repatriating the deceased, but no final decisions on the living have been announced.

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The U.S. diplomatic intervention highlights efforts to limit Iran's ability to leverage the incident domestically or internationally amid the ongoing war. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stressed humanitarian priorities, stating the government would not hesitate to protect lives, though no public response to the U.S. request has been detailed. The episode has raised regional concerns about the conflict's expansion into the Indian Ocean, potentially complicating neutrality for nations like Sri Lanka and drawing scrutiny from neighbors such as India, where the Dena had recently participated in exercises.

This development adds another layer to the escalating U.S.-Iran naval confrontations, which have already disrupted global shipping and energy routes. As Sri Lanka navigates diplomatic pressures from both Washington and Tehran, the fate of the detained Iranian personnel remains uncertain, with international law on neutrality and internment of belligerent crews likely to influence any resolution. Authorities continue monitoring the situation closely amid calls for de-escalation in the wider Middle East conflict.

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