Frontline Socialist Party urges regional aid for stranded Iranian tankers

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has urged the Sri Lankan government to engage South Asian nations in discussions regarding humanitarian aid for vessels caught in the tensions between Iran and the United States. The party reports that between 15 and 25 oil tankers linked to Iran are stranded just outside Sri Lanka’s maritime zone, with some vessels reportedly lacking food, fuel, and drinking water.

While the FSP claims Sri Lanka has received requests for assistance, Cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa stated that no official request has been made. The situation involves conflicting reports regarding external influence; a Wall Street Journal report suggested U.S. authorities warned Sri Lanka against assisting the Iranian vessels, though Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has denied such pressure was exerted.

The FSP has proposed a coordinated regional response and called for the reaffirmation of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace, referencing a 1971 United Nations initiative supported by Sri Lanka and India.