Sri Lanka, Oct. 6 -- The Joint Opposition, which recognised that Sri Lanka could not resist sanctions in the event of extending assistance to Iranian vessels, said that it could, however, have articulated its non-aligned policy collectively with others, not alone had it been active with other like-minded international organisations such as the Indian Ocean Conference and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Delivering remarks at the weekly press conference, its convener, former external affairs minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, said that Sri Lanka had not been active in any of these organisations under the current government.

Currently, around 20 Iranian ships are stranded in international waters off Sri Lanka, with media reports suggestin...