COLOMBO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will grant free one-month visas to sailors rescued from Iranian vessels, allowing them to remain in the country under humanitarian protection, a senior official of the country said on Sunday.
Ananda Wijepala, Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, said the visas would be granted to 32 surviving crew members of IRIS Dena, which was sunk by a U.S. submarine on Wednesday, as well as more than 200 on board IRIS Bushehr.
He said decisions regarding the Iranian sailors are in accordance with international conventions and maritime laws applicable to Sri Lanka, and are not aimed at supporting or harming any country. ■