ThePrint CutTheClutter: Iranian warship torpedoed by US submarine:Questions,political blamegame in India & Tehran's 2 navies
Mar 5, 2026
A tense account of how an Iranian frigate was torpedoed and the human toll that followed. A close look at naval movements, timelines and whether nearby powers could or should have intervened. Legal limits of escorting ships in international waters and the tricky politics that follow. A primer on Iran's two naval forces and how smaller vessels still pose strategic threats.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Dena Sunk Near Sri Lanka Not Indian Waters
- The IRIS Dena was torpedoed about 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka inside Sri Lanka's EEZ, roughly 450 km from India, and sank within minutes with many casualties.
- Shekhar Gupta cites US release of a Virginia-class SSN photo and DoD claims, framing the strike as part of wider US-Iran combat operations.
Dena Was A Guest At Indian Fleet Review
- Dena had been in India for a ceremonial fleet review at Visakhapatnam and was returning after participation in the international event attended by President Murmu.
- Gupta highlights that ships from 74 navies, including Iran, took part and the Iranian vessel was thus a hosted guest when later attacked.
India Lacks Legal Duty But Faces Moral Question
- Questions arise whether India had responsibility to protect or escort the Iranian ship after hosting it, but legally the vessel was in international waters beyond India's EEZ.
- Gupta stresses the moral ambiguity: legal no, moral yes/no, since the attack occurred far from India's jurisdiction.