Sri Lanka says no immediate plan to help Iranian ships near its waters with depleting food and fuel

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's government says that it has no immediate plans to help 19 Iranian ships that have been anchored in the international waters near the island nation facing food, water and fuel shortages.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thushara Rodrigo said Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and the companies that supply ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States.

He said, however, that there hasn't been any communication from the U.S. warning of repercussions should Sri Lanka decide to help.

Rodrigo said that the ships are stationed 24 nautical miles from Sri Lanka's coast and have reported shortages of food, water and fuel.

The Iranian Embassy in Sri Lanka said it has no details on the matter.

The latest development involving Iranian ships off Sri Lanka’s waters comes nearly seven months after a U.S. torpedo attack sank Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena, killing 87 sailors.

The ship was returning home afer taking part in an naval exercise on invitation from India. A second Iranian ship was brought to a Sri Lankan port after its crew reported technical problems.

The wounded sailors who were treated in Sri Lankan hospitals and those rescued from the second ship were safely repatriated back to Iran.

Sri Lanka is emerging from an economic crisis and both the U.S. and Iran are crucial trading partners. The U.S. played an important role in assisting with an International Monetary Fund bailout deal and helping the agricultural sector to avert a food crisis.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told local Sunday Times newspaper that the ships are Iranian oil tankers and that they have been anchored off Sri Lanka for the past several months after the U.S. resumed its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving dozens of Iranian vessels stranded and unable to return home.

“But we are caught in a difficult situation,” said international affairs analyst Dayan Jayatilleka, adding that there are limits to what Sri Lanka can practically do.

"It’s clear to the world that we are not willingly refusing to assist but there are reasons that we have to be careful and to deliberate. What we can do is to observe international humanitarian laws.

“These are not warships. These are cargo ships which carried oil to China from Iran,” he said. "If these ships come in for some reasons to our waters because they are attacked, we have a moral obligation to assist immediately.”