By

Meera Srinivasan

Amid growing concern over regional implications of the war in West Asia, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath arrived in New Delhi on Thursday (March 5, 2026) to attend ‘Raisina Dialogue’, the high-level annual global forum hosted by India on international and strategic affairs.

While neither New Delhi nor Colombo has directly responded to the U.S. claiming responsibility for torpedoing the Iranian frigate south of Sri Lanka, Mr. Herath said on X on Thursday (March 5, 2026) that he spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on the “on the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East”. The post made no mention of the Iranian frigate. “Sri Lanka expressed grave concern over the escalation of hostilities and reaffirmed the importance of diplomatic dialogue to restore regional peace,” he said.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, too, posted on X on Thursday (March 5, 2026) evening: “Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this afternoon”, with no further details.

Earlier on Thursday (March 5, 2026) , Mr. Aragchi said the U.S. has “perpetrated an atrocity at sea”, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores, and will “bitterly regret” the move. In a post on X on Thursday morning, Mr. Aragchi wrote: “The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set.”

On Wednesday (March 4, 2026) , U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Washington D.C.-based media that an American submarine sank an Iranian warship “that thought it was safe in international waters”. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” he said, terming it a “quiet death” and the “first sinking of an enemy ship” by a torpedo since World War II. “Like in that war,” he said, “we are fighting to win,” Mr. Hegseth said.

Courtesy:The Hindu