Sri Lanka says No to US Warplanes, Iranian Naval Visit amid Middle East Crisis

2026-03-20 - 15:00

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka found itself at center of a delicate geopolitical moment, weighing competing requests from global powers amid rising international tensions. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed in parliament that Island nation firmly rejected multiple high-stakes military and naval access requests from both the US and Iran, moves framed as a deliberate effort to safeguard national neutrality amid rising global tensions. US formally requested permission on February 26 for two combat aircraft, armed with anti-ship missiles and originating from a base in Djibouti, to land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport between March 4 and March 8. The request was ultimately denied. Dissanayake told lawmakers that approving such a request would have compromised Sri Lanka’s neutral stance, a decision that reportedly drew strong approval from parliamentarians. Iran also submitted request on the same day, seeking authorization for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka from March 9 to March 13 following participation in an Indian naval exercise. That request was also refused. The president stressed that allowing one side’s military-related access would have created an obligation to extend similar approval to the other, placing Sri Lanka in a difficult geopolitical position. Dissanayake further pointed to escalating global instability following military actions involving the United States and Israel against Iran, which he said had intensified regional conflict, disrupted energy supplies, and unsettled international markets. Within this volatile backdrop, Sri Lanka’s leadership opted for strict neutrality as a guiding principle in its foreign policy decisions. Adding another layer to the unfolding situation, the president referenced recent maritime incidents involving Iranian vessels. Sri Lanka’s navy reportedly conducted rescue operations for Iranian crew members following damage to one ship and assisted another that encountered technical difficulties near its territorial waters. Meanwhile, diplomatic engagement between Sri Lanka and the United States continues, with a U.S. special envoy recently visiting Colombo and meeting the president to discuss regional and bilateral matters. Tehran claims strike on F-35 as US losses 16 fighter jets in Iran war