Iran Calls Sunk Warship ‘Guest of Indian Navy’ After US Torpedo Strike in Indian Ocean
Iran has issued its first official reaction after the United States torpedoed the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, describing the vessel as a “guest of the Indian Navy” shortly before it was attacked.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the warship had recently participated in naval events hosted by India and was sailing back toward Iran when it was struck without warning in international waters. Writing on social media, he condemned the strike as an “atrocity at sea” carried out roughly 2,000 miles from Iran’s shores and warned that the United States would “bitterly regret the precedent it has set.”
According to Iranian officials, about 130 sailors were on board the frigate at the time of the attack. Authorities in Sri Lanka later confirmed that 87 bodies had been recovered, while several sailors remain missing. Thirty-two survivors were rescued and taken to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in the southern city of Galle, where they are receiving medical treatment under tight security.
Link to India’s naval events
The Iranian frigate had recently participated in Milan 2026, a multinational naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy. The exercise brought together naval forces from about 74 countries, along with 42 warships and 29 aircraft, making it one of the largest maritime gatherings in the region.
The programme began in mid-February and continued for around 10 days, culminating in a ceremony aboard India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. During its visit, the Iranian vessel also joined the International Fleet Review 2026, held between February 15 and February 25, and made a port call at the eastern Indian port city of Visakhapatnam.
Iranian officials emphasised that the warship had been participating in these international maritime activities as “a guest of India’s Navy.”
How the ship was struck
Defence sources say the frigate was attacked near Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Indian Ocean while returning from the Indian naval events. A Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo fired from a U.S. fast-attack submarine reportedly struck the vessel’s hull, triggering a powerful explosion that broke the ship’s structure before it sank.
The incident has drawn attention because it is believed to be one of the rare instances since World War II in which a submarine has sunk another warship using a torpedo in open waters.
Responses from India and Sri Lanka
The Indian Navy said it initiated search and rescue efforts immediately after receiving a distress signal from the Iranian vessel during the emergency.
Sri Lankan authorities also mounted a major rescue operation. The country’s navy and air force deployed ships and aircraft to search the surrounding waters and assist survivors.
Government spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa said Sri Lanka’s focus was on humanitarian assistance and safeguarding lives, noting that a second Iranian warship carrying more than 100 crew members had also approached waters near the island after the attack.
The sinking of the Iranian frigate in the busy Indian Ocean shipping corridor has heightened regional tensions and raised concerns about the widening impact of the ongoing confrontation involving the United States and Iran.
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