India, March 9 -- India granted permission to three Iranian warships to dock at the country's ports three days before one of them, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine near Sri Lanka, according to information provided by the government in Parliament on Monday.

Iran sought permission for the three warships, which were in regional waters, to dock in India on February 28, the day that Israel and the US launched their attacks on Iran, and the permission was given the next day, March 1.

The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was torpedoed and sunk by a US submarine near the coast of Sri Lanka early on March 4, resulting in the death of almost 90 crew members. Another 32 crew members were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.

External affairs minister ...