Books written about the history of the JVP state that during the 1980 war between Iraq and Iran, the JVP received funds from Iraq and attacked Iranian ships in the seas around Sri Lanka, sinking them. This was during the period when JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera had been released from prison and was rebuilding the organization.
Today, with a JVP-led government in power, an international controversy has arisen over attacks on Iranian ships in the waters around Sri Lanka. The US Secretary of Defense has stated that an Iranian warship was destroyed by an American submarine.
In December 2025, a Chinese vessel carrying military-related items was detected near Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary by a US special operations unit. They revealed that the military-related items were being transported to Iran. However, both Iran and China rejected these allegations made by the United States.
In October 2025, the United States informed the Sri Lankan government that Chinese ships carrying military equipment intended for Iran had arrived at the Port of Colombo. Although the United States requested permission to inspect these vessels, the Sri Lankan government was unwilling to anger China, as China had objected to allowing the United States to inspect its ships.
Even before the outbreak of the Iran war, the United States had been closely monitoring Iranian ships in the waters around Sri Lanka, as well as vessels passing through the Port of Colombo on their way to Iran.
Immediately after Anura Kumara became president, the United States issued a travel advisory urging American citizens not to travel to Sri Lanka. Anura Kumara and his newly appointed government were worried by this advisory. The warning was based on intelligence indicating preparations for a terrorist attack targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka.
The United States issued this travel advisory in the middle of the 2025 general election. Fearing that it could negatively affect the election results, Anura’s government allowed the United States to take part in the related investigations. A day before the general election, the United States withdrew the travel advisory. Anura’s government portrayed this as a major victory.
In this way, the United States managed to bring Anura’s government into line with its geopolitical interests. From that point onwards, Anura’s government allowed American intelligence agencies to engage with Sri Lankan intelligence agencies in pursuit of their objectives.
Afterwards, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command visited Sri Lanka and met Anura. A few days before the Iran war began, US Pacific Command Admiral Steve also arrived in Sri Lanka and met the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This shows how the fear within Anura’s government of angering the United States has been turned to America’s advantage.
