Iran Issues Stark Warning to US After Warship Sinking in Indian Ocean
Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a grave warning to the United States on Thursday, declaring that America will "bitterly regret" its torpedo attack on the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. The warship was sunk by a US submarine in international waters off the Sri Lankan coast, resulting in the tragic deaths of 87 sailors with 130 people total on board.
'Guest of Indian Navy' Targeted Without Warning
In a strongly worded statement on social media platform X, Araghchi emphasized that the frigate Dena had been a "guest of India's Navy" during participation in naval exercises last month. "US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores," he wrote. "Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning."
The Iranian foreign minister added ominously: "Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set."
Indian Navy Joins Search and Rescue Operation
The Indian Navy confirmed on Thursday that it had joined search and rescue operations after receiving a distress call from the Iranian warship. In an official statement, the Navy detailed its response:
- Launched search and rescue efforts with a long-range maritime patrol aircraft at 10 am on Wednesday
- Kept another aircraft with air-droppable life rafts on standby for immediate deployment
- Deployed INS Tarangini, which was operating in the vicinity, arriving in the search area by 4 pm
The Navy noted that by the time INS Tarangini arrived, search and rescue operations were already being conducted by the Sri Lankan Navy and other agencies.
Second Iranian Warship Seeks Safe Harbor
Amid the escalating tensions, a second Iranian warship has moved toward Sri Lankan waters seeking refuge. According to Sri Lankan media minister Nalinda Jayatissa, the vessel requested permission to enter the island nation's waters to escape the US nuclear submarine lurking in the Indian Ocean.
Media reports indicate this second warship carries more than 100 crew members, with concerns mounting that it could face similar targeting as its sister ship. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened meetings with top officials on Thursday to discuss Iran's request for safe harbor.
US Confirms Historic Torpedo Attack
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed on Wednesday that American forces had sunk the IRIS Dena. "In the Indian Ocean, an American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters," Hegseth stated. "Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death."
He noted this marked "the first sinking of an enemy ship by a US torpedo since World War II." General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, specified that the US submarine launched a Mark-48 heavyweight torpedo to sink the Iranian vessel.
Rescue Efforts and Recovery Operations
Sri Lanka's foreign minister Vijitha Herath informed Parliament that the nation's navy received information about the IRIS Dena sinking and immediately dispatched ships and air force planes on a rescue mission. Navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath described the scene when rescue teams arrived: "By the time our ships reached the location of distress signals, there was no sign of the Iranian ship and were only some oil patches and life rafts. We found people floating on the water."
The Sri Lankan navy successfully rescued 32 people who were admitted to a hospital in the seaside town of Galle on the southern coast. Recovery teams brought 87 bodies to land.
Geopolitical Implications and Regional Concerns
Sri Lankan MP Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, expressed serious concern about the incident's broader implications. "This is a serious concern for Sri Lanka and also the Indian Ocean, and I'm sure for India as well," he told Indian media.
Indian government sources emphasized that the Iranian frigate was targeted in international waters after the conclusion of the International Fleet Review and subsequent MILAN exercise on February 25. The vessel was reportedly around international shipping lanes when attacked.
Meanwhile, government officials categorically denied claims by former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor that the US is using Indian naval bases to attack Iran. A PIB fact-check labeled this assertion as "FAKE," countering misinformation circulating about India's role in the conflict.
