NEW DELHI: Iran has sharply condemned the United States for sinking its warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, stating the vessel, which had recently been a “guest of the Indian Navy” during naval engagements in Visakhapatnam, was struck without warning by a US submarine.
“Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words, the US will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,” Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister of Iran wrote on X in Tehran’s first official reaction to the incident.
The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena had taken part in the International Fleet Review and the multinational naval exercise Exercise Milan, hosted by India in Visakhapatnam from 16 to 25 February.
The warship was on its return voyage to Iran after participating in the naval engagements hosted by India when it reported the emergency at dawn.
It was struck by a torpedo fired from a US Navy nuclear powered attack submarine (SSN) in the Indian Ocean Region early Wednesday, amid the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Of the roughly 130 personnel onboard, around 30 injured sailors were evacuated by the Sri Lankan forces while at least 87 deaths have been confirmed. The remaining crew members are still missing, potentially pushing the toll close to 100.
The Chief of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, had also travelled to Visakhapatnam for the engagements, attending the fleet review, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave of Chiefs and Exercise Milan.
The sinking of the Iranian warship has sparked concern among members of India’s strategic and military community, with several voices warning about the implications of the incident which happened uncomfortably close to India's maritime neighbourhood.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal said the vessel would not have been in these waters had India not invited it to participate in Exercise Milan. "The Iranian ship would not be where it was if we had not invited it to take part in our Milan exercise. We were the hosts,” Sibal wrote on X, saying that ships participating in such exercises typically do not carry ammunition as per protocol.
He added that while India bears no political or military responsibility for the strike, there is a moral dimension given the sailors were guests of the Indian Navy.
Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash also expressed concern over the attack. "Sinking of an Iranian warship off the southern tip of Sri Lanka with heavy loss of life is a senseless and inflammatory act. Initiating another dimension of violence in this open ended conflict will spread alarm across the high seas and disrupt global seaborne commerce. Condemnable,” he wrote on X.