The Iranian ship that was destroyed by an American attack yesterday had requested permission to enter the Galle port in Sri Lanka 11 hours earlier, but was not granted permission, said MP Mujibur Rahman.
Addressing the parliament, he said that the ship had come to participate in a military exercise held by India and that a Sri Lankan warship had also participated in the exercise. However, he said that the ship had not been able to go to Iran due to the war raging in the Middle East.
The submarine that attacked the ship was in the Gulf region and that it had come to the Indian Ocean to attack this ship, said MP Mujibur Rahman.
He further said that it is a mystery as well as how the US knew that the ship was anchored not far from Sri Lanka, as it was not allowed to enter Galle Port.