The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that US secondary sanctions on entities providing supplies or services to vessels under US sanctions are part of a global policy and do not specifically target Sri Lanka.
The clarification was issued following several media inquiries over reports that the United States had warned Sri Lanka of possible sanctions if it provided supplies or services to US-sanctioned vessels, particularly Iranian ships operating near Sri Lankan waters.
Foreign Ministry Director General and Spokesman Rodrigo said the United States announced the relevant secondary sanctions on August 24, warning that individuals or entities providing services to US-sanctioned vessels could risk losing access to the US financial system.
He stressed that the measures form part of the broader US sanctions policy, which is applied globally and is not specifically directed at Sri Lanka.
Rodrigo also noted that vessels subject to such sanctions are not limited to the Indian Ocean, with similar vessels operating in other parts of the world's oceans amid ongoing conflicts and geopolitical developments.
He said individuals and companies involved in the shipping and merchant shipping industries were generally aware of the application of secondary sanctions and their potential implications for business operations.
The spokesman added that Sri Lankan officials had been handling the matter cautiously, particularly given the sensitivity surrounding the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.
