Sri Lanka, Aug. 30 -- Sri Lanka is monitoring nearly 20 Iranian oil tankers that have gathered off the country's Southern coast amid a United States Naval blockade preventing vessels from returning to Iranian ports.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Media Thushara Rodrigo, said the Government was monitoring the movements of the vessels but stressed that they were outside Sri Lankan territory. "Those ships are away from our territory; therefore, we do not have any binding obligation. We are not facilitating them," Rodrigo said.

The development follows an analysis by maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers.com, which identified a flotilla of approximately 20 Iranian State-owned tankers near Sri Lanka. The Financial Times...