Iran says warship sunk by US was unarmed and on ceremonial mission

Two days after a US submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, Iran issued a warning on Friday. They stated that the attack on an "unarmed ship" would not go unpunished. The Iranian frigate, named IRIS Dena, was returning to Iran after taking part in the Milan multilateral naval exercise in India. The strike resulted in the deaths of at least 87 Iranian sailors, escalating tensions between the US and Iran beyond the Persian Gulf. Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, currently visiting India, emphasized that the IRIS Dena was not in a combat state. It was returning from the naval exercises and the US's actions were a serious breach of international law. "This is a very sad and unfortunate incident. The ship was invited by our Indian friends to participate in an international exercise. It was ceremonial, unloaded, and unarmed," he stated. "It is very unfortunate that many young Iranian sailors who were part of these exercises lost their lives. Those responsible cannot escape consequences," he told reporters at the Raisina Dialogue. The IRIS Dena participated in the Indian Navy's top multilateral maritime exercise, Milan, and also took part in the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam last month. Khatibzadeh criticized the US for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arguing that selective enforcement of international law is unacceptable. "Sadly, the principles of international law have been undermined, and we must unite against such acts. The Americans have assassinated the leader of another nation. If this becomes the new standard, then no country can achieve diplomatic relations with others," he remarked. Khatibzadeh also answered questions regarding India's stance on the West Asia crisis.