Sri Lanka Rejects US Request to Station Warplanes Amid Iran Tensions

Sri Lanka refused a request from the United States to station two warplanes at Mattala International Airport in early March, a decision revealed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a parliamentary address Friday. The U.S. Had sought to relocate the missile-armed aircraft from a base in Djibouti to the civilian airport, according to Dissanayake, making the request on February 26 – two days before the escalation of conflict involving a U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran.

Dissanayake stated the request was denied to preserve Sri Lanka’s neutrality and prevent its territory from becoming involved in military operations that could benefit or disadvantage either side in the escalating tensions. The decision comes as Sri Lanka finds itself increasingly caught between geopolitical forces, having already experienced direct consequences from the conflict with the reported torpedoing of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by a U.S. Submarine off its coast in March, as reported by Youth Journalism International.

“They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles to Mattala International Airport from March 4 to 8, and we said ‘no’,” Dissanayake told parliament. He did not elaborate on the intended operational role of the aircraft had the request been approved. The President also disclosed that Iran had simultaneously requested port calls for three warships returning from a naval exercise with India, a request Colombo was considering at the time of the U.S. Proposal.

“We were still considering the Iranian request to bring the three ships to Colombo from March 9 to 13. Had we said ‘yes’ to Iran, we would have had to say ‘yes’ to the U.S. Too,” Dissanayake explained, emphasizing the delicate balancing act Sri Lanka attempted to maintain. “But we didn’t. We are steadfastly maintaining our position of neutrality.” NDTV reported that Dissanayake’s government firmly rejected both requests.

The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, located in the southern Hambantota district, has faced challenges in attracting consistent commercial traffic since its opening in 2013. The U.S. Request to utilize the facility highlights its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, a region of increasing geopolitical importance. Al Jazeera reported that Sri Lanka denied the U.S. Request, further underscoring Colombo’s commitment to non-alignment.

The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened regional instability following the U.S. And Israeli response to Iranian attacks. The long-term implications of Sri Lanka’s decision, and its ability to maintain neutrality amidst escalating tensions, remain to be seen.