Sri Lanka Tracks 11 US-Sanctioned Iranian Tankers Off Its Southern Coast
Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities are closely monitoring a fleet of 11 Iranian oil tankers that are currently positioned off the island’s southern coast, in a development that places Sri Lanka at the centre of an increasingly complicated international maritime and sanctions environment.
According to officials cited by AFP, the vessels are under United States sanctions and have remained in international waters near Sri Lanka after becoming unable to return to Iranian ports because of the US blockade. The ships have been observed near Galle, an area that has already become strategically sensitive following the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena earlier this year.
The Sri Lankan Navy and other maritime authorities are not simply ignoring the presence of these vessels. A Sri Lankan military official said reconnaissance aircraft and naval patrol boats have been deployed to monitor the tankers outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial sea. This surveillance operation demonstrates the Navy’s continuing effort to maintain maritime awareness and ensure that activity taking place close to Sri Lankan waters does not develop into a security, environmental or maritime-law problem.
However, there is an important distinction between monitoring sanctioned ships and enforcing US sanctions against them. Sri Lanka has not announced that it is acting as an enforcement arm of the United States. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the vessels are outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters and therefore enjoy freedom of navigation in international waters. He also stated that Sri Lanka has neither detained nor facilitated the vessels.
The Navy’s surveillance is therefore particularly important. Officials have reported no evidence of ship-to-ship oil transfers or illegal discharge of pollutants. In the absence of such activity, Sri Lankan authorities say there is presently no basis for taking enforcement action against the vessels. Sri Lankan officials have also said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about the sanctioned Iranian-flagged ships.
Sri Lanka’s position illustrates the difficult balance facing the island. Colombo maintains diplomatic and economic relationships with both the United States and Iran, while its strategic location makes its surrounding waters an important maritime corridor.
The situation also follows a dramatic episode involving the Iranian Navy. In March, the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena sank near Sri Lanka after being struck by a US submarine, according to reports. The Sri Lankan Navy subsequently rescued Iranian sailors from the disaster. Reuters also reported that Sri Lanka assisted another Iranian vessel and its crew during the same period.
The current deployment of reconnaissance aircraft and patrol vessels consequently represents more than routine coastal observation. It is a demonstration of Sri Lanka’s determination to keep a close watch on developments in its maritime neighbourhood while respecting the legal distinction between territorial waters and international waters.
For now, the 11 tankers remain outside Sri Lanka’s territorial sea. The Sri Lankan Navy is watching them closely—not necessarily to stop them, but to ensure that no activity connected with the vessels threatens Sri Lanka’s maritime security, environmental interests or national sovereignty.