India, March 8 -- Iran has formally thanked India for providing a safe harbour to its naval vessel IRIS Lavan, which docked at the port of Kochi to undertake technical and logistical arrangements, according to media reports.

The development comes days after a United States submarine allegedly torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lankan waters, killing 87 sailors and escalating tensions amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.

Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, told ANI that the Islamic Republic is closely monitoring the situation following the tragic incident involving IRIS Dena and is continuing efforts to assess the circumstances and ensure the well-being of the crew members.

"I would like to take this opp...