Govt. confirms Iranian vessel within Sri Lanka’s EEZ

2026-03-05 - 07:18

Chief Government Whip and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa today confirmed that another Iranian vessel is currently located within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). He made this statement in Parliament while responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on whether the government was aware of the presence of another Iranian vessel within Sri Lankan waters. Minister Jayatissa said the matter has already been brought to the attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Security Council and the government. “The government is aware of the matter. We are making the necessary interventions to resolve this issue, restrict threats to lives and ensure regional security,” the Minister said. He clarified that the vessel is not within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but is located within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. “Although the vessel is within the EEZ and not territorial waters, we are making maximum intervention regarding the safety of the people on board. A complete report on the matter will be submitted to Parliament,” he added.