United States and Iran Clash Over Disputed Sinking of Unarmed Warship IRIS Dena in Indian Ocean

US Indopacom rejects Iran's claim that the IRIS Dena was unarmed when sunk off Sri Lanka. Tehran calls the attack on the ceremonial ship a violation of protocols.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 11:14 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from International Desk

Conflicting Accounts Surface Following Indian Ocean Naval Engagement

Iran and the United States have provided fundamentally different narratives regarding the destruction of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which was sunk in international waters on March 4. According to Iranian state officials, the vessel was operating in a strictly non-combat, ceremonial capacity at the time of the attack. However, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) issued a blunt social media statement on Sunday dismissing these claims as "false," asserting that the vessel was a legitimate military target within the context of the widening regional war.

Tehran Insists Sunk Vessel Was Defenseless and Ceremonial

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has led the diplomatic protest from New Delhi, characterizing the IRIS Dena as "unloaded and unarmed." Khatibzadeh argued that the ship was in the Indian Ocean by invitation of the Indian government to participate in the International Fleet Review. He maintained that the vessel was returning home following these ceremonial drills when it was targeted by a U.S. torpedo. Tehran has framed the sinking as a violation of maritime protocols governing international naval exercises and an unprovoked attack on a non-offensive platform.

Defense Analysts Question Naval Protocols and Drills Participation

The Iranian account has been met with skepticism from regional military sources and independent analysts. An Indian navy source suggested that the IRIS Dena was not "entirely unarmed" during its participation in recent drills alongside other international warships. Independent defense analyst Rahul Bedi noted that while fleet reviews typically require participating platforms to be unarmed as a precondition, the line between ceremonial and operational readiness can be thin. Bedi explained that most navies demand vessels be disarmed for such ceremonies, but the U.S. remains adamant that the Dena posed an active threat.