COLOMBO – Sri Lanka denied landing rights for two U.S. combat aircraft packed with anti-ship missiles at a southern civilian airport earlier this month, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed to parliament Friday, framing the decision as essential to preserving the nation’s strict neutrality in the escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The U.S. sought permission on February 26 for the planes to touch down at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport from March 4-8, originating from a base in Djibouti. “They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles,” Dissanayake told lawmakers, adding that Colombo promptly rejected the overture to avoid entanglement, earning parliamentary applause.
That same day, Iran requested a goodwill port call for three of its ships from March 9-13 following an Indian naval drill – a plea Sri Lanka also rebuffed. The choice gained urgency after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran erupted February 28, sparking a regional war that has choked global energy flows and hammered markets.
“We were considering this request. Had we said ‘yes’ to Iran, we would have had to say ‘yes’ to the U.S. as well,” Dissanayake explained, underscoring the tightrope of impartiality.
Sri Lanka’s navy stepped in during the chaos, rescuing 32 Iranian sailors from the IRIS Dena on March 4 after a U.S. submarine torpedoed it, killing at least 84. Crew from a second vessel, IRIS Booshehr, were also saved beyond territorial waters due to technical failures.
The disclosures come as U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor wraps a visit, meeting Dissanayake Thursday. Still mending from its 2022 economic meltdown driven by dollar shortages, Sri Lanka now grapples with war-induced supply disruptions; America remains its top export destination, while Iran ranks among key tea purchasers.