Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 21:24 IST Iran requested permission for its naval ship IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi due to technical issues. The IRIS Dena, which was returning to Iran after an Indian naval exercise off Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, was torpedoed by an American submarine in an unprecedented military escalation on March 4, 2026. (Image: AFP/File) Iran had approached India days before the US strike on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka, seeking permission for another naval vessel, IRIS Lavan, to dock at Kochi due to technical issues, according to government sources. The vessel was in the region for the International Fleet Review. According to the government sources, the request was received on February 28, 2026, with Iran stating that the ship required urgent docking due to the technical problem. The Indian authorities granted approval for the docking on March 1. IRIS Lavan later arrived and docked at Kochi on March 4. The ship’s crew of 183 personnel are currently being accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi. First …