Around 20 Iranian or Iran-linked oil tankers are currently stranded off the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, with supplies of food, fuel and fresh water reportedly running short, foreign media reported.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that the empty vessels are drifting with their engines idle after delivering sanctioned Iranian oil, with the situation being a consequence of the United States’ broader effort to disrupt Iran’s sanctioned oil exports and shipping networks.
It has been reported that dozens of Iranian or Iran-linked vessels have remained in waters around Sri Lanka and Malaysia since July after the United States reimposed its naval blockade on Iran.
Background
Ongoing military conflict in the Middle East involving Iran and the United States has disrupted the transportation of oil along the Strait of Hormuz, impacting wider supplies across the world.
The Wall Street Journal reported that many of these tankers were used to deliver sanctioned Iranian oil but are unable to return to the country’s ports amid pressure from the United States.
It also reported that the U.S. Embassy had warned Sri Lanka that it was tracking 19 Iranian tankers off Sri Lanka’s western coast, raising concerns over potential secondary sanctions against parties providing services to sanctioned vessels.
Sri Lanka’s stance
The report stated that U.S. officials had pressured Sri Lanka in recent weeks to prevent local vessels from supplying essential provisions to the crews on the stranded tankers.
Sri Lankan authorities have previously acknowledged that they were aware of Iranian and other vessels operating near the country and that the vessels were being monitored.
In September, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said that 47 vessels had been identified in the vicinity, including several Iranian vessels and other commercial vessels, but added that they were operating in international waters.
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