Tehran, March 5
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi has strongly condemned the United States for attacking and sinking the Iranian Frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, describing the incident as an "atrocity at sea" and warning that Washington would "bitterly regret" setting such a precedent.
Aragchi said the warship had recently visited the Indian Navy and was carrying around 130 sailors at the time of the attack. He accused the US of launching a strike without warning in waters far from Iran's territory.
"The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set," the Iranian Foreign Minister said in a post on X.
The Iranian Foreign Minister's remarks came after an American submarine torpedoed and sank the IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The incident marked the first time since World War II that the US has sunk an enemy ship using a torpedo fired from a submarine.
The frigate, a relatively small warship, had been returning from naval engagements in India when it was targeted. The IRIS Dena, a frigate-class vessel of the Iranian Navy, had participated in the Milan International Fleet Review held in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25, where it was welcomed by the Indian Navy.
"Indian Navy welcomes IRIS Dena, of the Iranian Navy, on her arrival at Visakhapatnam... reflecting long-standing cultural links between the two nations," the Indian Navy had said in a message posted on X during the visit.
The multinational naval exercise saw participation from around 74 countries. The United States did not take part in the exercise. The US Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney had initially been scheduled to participate but cancelled its involvement shortly before the event began. The exercise concluded on February 25.
According to reports, the IRIS Dena had departed from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and was on its return journey when it was attacked in international waters near the southern coast of Sri Lanka on March 4.
US officials did not deny responsibility for the attack and openly acknowledged the sinking of the Iranian vessel.
"An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said while commenting on the strike.
Following the attack, rescue efforts were launched in the area. The Sri Lankan Navy has so far rescued approximately 30 sailors from the IRIS Dena. The survivors were transported to Karapitiya Hospital in the southern port city of Galle, where they are receiving medical treatment.
The incident has further intensified tensions in the region amid an already escalating conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel.
The current war began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran. The attacks reportedly targeted the country's missile arsenal and nuclear facilities and resulted in the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- IANS
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