COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has turned down requests from both the United States and Iran to use its territory for military purposes, reaffirming its neutral stance amid escalating regional conflict.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament that Colombo denied a US request to allow two armed fighter jets to land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport earlier this month. A separate request from Iran to permit three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit was also rejected.
The president said both requests were received on February 26 and were declined to avoid taking sides in the intensifying conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. (Reuters)
He warned that granting access to either side could have compromised Sri Lanka’s neutrality and exposed key national infrastructure, including ports and airports, to geopolitical risks.
Dissanayake stressed that Sri Lanka would not come under external pressure and would continue to pursue a policy of non-alignment, despite the growing regional crisis.