Sri Lanka has no immediate plan to help 19 Iranian ships anchored in international waters off the island, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thushara Rodrigo said on Friday.
Rodrigo said the ships are 24 nautical miles from the Sri Lankan coast and have reported shortages of food, water and fuel. The Iranian Embassy in Sri Lanka said it has no details on the matter.
He said Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and that the companies supplying ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States. Rodrigo said there has been no communication from the US warning of repercussions if Sri Lanka decides to help.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times that the vessels are Iranian oil tankers that have been anchored off Sri Lanka for several months. He said they were stranded after the US resumed its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Sri Lanka is recovering from an economic crisis and counts both the US and Iran as important trading partners.
