Iran's Araghchi condemns US sinking f Iranian vessel in Indian Ocean, which was 'guest to India'
"Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X/Twitter.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the United States decision to sink an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, which was stationed as a guest of the Indian Navy.
"The US 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," Araghchi posted on X/Twitter.
"Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set," he added.
US strikes Iranian warship with torpedo, first since WWII
The US sank the IRIS Dena off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.
"In the Indian Ocean, an American submarine sank an Iranian warship, which thought it was safe in international waters," Hegseth said. "Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo - Quiet Death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II.
"Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win," he added.
The ship was listed as taking part in a naval drill held in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25, according to the exercise's website.
According to the Sri Lankan navy spokesman, Commander Buddhika Sampath, 32 people were rescued and were being treated in a hospital in the southern port city of Galle.
"We are hopeful we can rescue more people and will continue (operations) until we are sure," Sampath said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
