image sourced from original article at India allowed an Iranian naval vessel, Iris Lavan, to dock at Kochi port and accommodated its 183 crew members at naval facilities after Tehran made an urgent request citing technical issues. The request came on February 28, the same day the United States and Israel launched a military offensive against Iran. Approval was granted on March 1, and the ship docked on March 4.
The decision came days before another Iranian ship, Iris Dena, was sunk by a United States submarine south of Sri Lanka while returning from a multilateral naval exercise hosted by India. At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack, which has been described by some as a challenge to India’s regional influence. Iranian officials later said the vessel had been a guest of the Indian Navy.
By permitting Iris Lavan to dock, India may have helped it avoid a similar fate. Meanwhile, a third Iranian naval ship, Iris Bushehr, has sought shelter with Sri Lanka, with the vessel remaining anchored in international waters amid concerns over further attacks.
