News
Sinking of Iranian frigate: Prof. Peiris questions govt.’s perceived neutrality
… declares CoN’s invitation to Iranian Navy Commander cannot be disputed
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (24) said that Sri Lanka’s response to US sinking of the unarmed Iranian frigate, just outside the country’s territorial waters, on 04 March, should now be re-examined against the backdrop of Iranian declaration that the NPP government invited the ill-fated IRIS Dena and two other vessels to visit Colombo.
Prof. Peiris was responding to Iranian Ambassador Dr. Alireza Delkhosh statement made at his Colombo residence on Monday.
The former lawmaker emphasised that the issue is of extreme significance as over 100 Iranian personnel perished when the US torpedoed the vessel without any warning. “Let me be clear that the vessel hadn’t been involved in the Iranian response to the US-Israel attack launched on 28 February and the government couldn’t turn a blind eye to unprovoked US action,” Prof. Peiris said.
Prof. Peiris emphasised that the government’s repeated claim of neutrality was questionable that the vessel had been within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEC) at the express invitation of the government.
The Ambassador is on record as having said that the Commander of the Navy, CoN Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, during International Fleet Review/Milan 2026, held in India, invited the Iranian Navy group. That invitation has been extended to the Commander of the Iranian Navy, Prof. Peiris said, while referring to Ambassador Delkhosh remarks.
The group comprised two frigates, including IRS Dena and an auxiliary ship. Before the 04 March US attack, the other frigate took refuge in India’s Cochin port and the auxiliary vessel was allowed to move close to Colombo harbour soon after the attack on the vessel.
Prof. Peiris said that the vast majority of people thought the Iranian group was on its way back home after participating in IFR and Milan 2026, on the invitation of India.
Prof. Peiris said: “We haven’t made the slightest protest. There is not even a whimper of protest. No criticism and no expression of disapproval at all. In those circumstances how can it be said that the government of Sri Lanka adopted a neutral stand.” Neutrality does not mean avoiding a proper statement against the backdrop of a heinous attack, Prof. Peiris said.
The former Minister also strongly disputed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent declaration in Parliament that attacks could be carried out in EEZs. That was not correct at all, prof. Peiris said, asserting that those responsible for handling the issue obviously failed to properly brief the Head-of-State. “There is a difference between the EEZ and the continental shelf, ” he said, emphasising the pivotal importance in receiving proper briefings from responsible officials.
President Dissanayake told a hastily arranged media briefing, on 04 March, at the Presidential Secretariat, that the Iranian naval group requested to visit Colombo from 9 to 13 March but the required procedures couldn’t be finalised. Later, the President told Parliament that his government didn’t accommodate Iranian vessels and also declined permission for US military planes to operate via Mattala.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Representatives from the ’The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’ met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Wednesday [24th of June] at the Parliament premises.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), which is scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 October 2026. Attention was also given to digitalization initiatives, the introduction of digital technologies in schools under new education reforms, and the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
Representatives of the Chamber noted that the summit would serve as an important platform for encouraging both local and foreign investment, while also contributing to the shaping of the country’s future economic policies.
The meeting was attended by Krishan Balendra, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; Vinod Hirdaramani, Deputy Vice Chairman; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer; Aliki Perera, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer; and Anagi Rodrigo-Weerasekera, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Intelligence, along with several other representatives.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
A discussion to review the progress of the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.
Under this housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector.
Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.
For the construction of each house, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the Government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.
During the discussion, Chandrakeerthi instructed officials to ensure that the housing project is completed before the end of this year. He further directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.
The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.
Among those present were Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.
(PMD)
It has been reported that Attorney at Law Rakitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over alleged links with the underworld.
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