Overview
- Sri Lanka’s president told Parliament the government rejected a Feb. 26 U.S. request to land two missile‑armed combat aircraft at Mattala between March 4 and 8 after relocation from Djibouti.
- Colombo also refused an Iranian request for three naval ships to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lankan ports from March 9 to 13 following an Indian naval exercise.
- The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was torpedoed and sank off Galle on March 4; Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 sailors and recovered the remains of 84, according to the president.
- A second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, was diverted to Trincomalee, with most of its 219‑member crew housed at a Sri Lankan naval facility under a humanitarian arrangement.
- U.S. Special Envoy Sergio Gor met Sri Lankan leaders in Colombo for talks on safeguarding sea lanes and port security, as Reuters and other outlets reported ongoing diplomatic engagement.