Iranian Minister at Raisina Dialogue slams U.S. attack on 'unarmed' vessel returning from India

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister condemns U.S. attack on unarmed vessel, emphasizing violations of international law and escalating tensions.

Two days after a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka's coast, Iran on Friday warned that the attack on an "unarmed ship cannot go with impunity."

The Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was returning home after participating in the Milan multilateral naval exercise hosted by India. At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack, which marked a major escalation in the conflict between the U.S. and Iran outside of the Persian Gulf.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, who is visiting India, emphasised that the IRIS Dena was in a non-combat configuration, returning from the Milan naval exercises and the U.S. action against it was a serious violation of international law.

"This is a very sad, very unfortunate incident. That vessel was by invitation of our Indian friends, attending an international exercise. It was ceremonial. It was unloaded. It was unarmed," he said

Iran-Israel war LIVE updates - March 6, 2026

"It is very unfortunate. Many of the young Iranian sailors who were attending these exercises lost their lives. It cannot go with impunity for those who actually did that," he told reporters on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue.