News
Iranian, Israeli ministers and US official visit Lanka to strengthen ties
View(s):Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahein is due in Sri Lanka tomorrow, days after Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev’s visit this week to Colombo.
Ahead of his two-day visit, two Iranian navy vessels arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal call yesterday. The Foreign Ministry in Colombo called it a “goodwill” visit.
IRINS Bushehrs is manned by 270 crew members, while IRINS Tonb has a crew of 250, the Sri Lanka Navy said. SLN officer cadets and personnel will be able to visit the Iranian ships docked in Colombo, while Iranian personnel will reciprocally visit SLN ships while also travelling to tourist destinations in Sri Lanka, a SLN statement said. The Iranian vessels will depart tomorrow.
Dr. Amir-Abdollahein is coming on an invitation from his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ali Sabry, who visited Tehran in August last year.
He will meet President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunewardena, and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, among others.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza is expected to be on the agenda of the talks with President Wickremesinghe. Iranian-backed Hamas and Hizbullah forces have been engaged with Israeli forces in Gaza and Lebanon, while Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi group has been attacking Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. However, Sri Lanka opposes disruption to international shipping in the Red Sea.
A Foreign Ministry source said yesterday that Sri Lanka had still not sent a naval vessel to the Red Sea despite an earlier announcement of plans to join the US-led patrols to protect merchant ships in the Red Sea.
Two Iranian naval ships, IRINS Bushehr and IRINS Tonb arrived at the port of Colombo on a two-day goodwill visit on Friday. The visiting ships were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in keeping with Sri Lanka's naval traditions. IRINS Bushehr is a 107 meter long ship manned by 270 crew members and she is commanded by Commander Mahdi Balvardi. IRINS Tonb is a 94.94 meter long platform with a crew of 250. It is commanded by . The Commanding Officers of the ships, Mahdi Balvardi and Mohammad Haji Zadeh, were scheduled to call on Commander Western Naval Area and Director General Operations of the Navy, during their stay in the country.
During his talks with Israeli Minister Regev, President Wickremesinghe reiterated Sri Lanka’s position that it supports a free Palestinian state alongside Israel and calls for the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and an immediate end to Israeli military action in Gaza.
The two countries also signed a bilateral air services agreement that Sri Lanka’s Transport Minister, Nimal Siripala de Silva, said would help workers going to Israel and encourage Israelis to visit Sri Lanka.
Israel’s mission in New Delhi, which is seconded to Colombo, tweeted that Ms. Regev’s visit was “an exciting milestone” and that she was the first Israeli minister to visit Sri Lanka in 13 years. It said the air services agreement was aimed at enhancing connectivity between the two nations and boosting Israeli tourism to Sri Lanka. Discussions also covered “infrastructure worker exchange and cooperation in transportation”. A joint statement issued by the Israeli Foreign and Transport Ministries on February 10 states that, “in light of the aid granted by Sri Lanka to Israel in the rescue of hundreds of Israelis at the beginning of the Swords of Iron War in the absence of a valid agreement, the signing of an aviation agreement with Sri Lanka is required and will open new doors for Israelis in the Far East, strengthen Israel’s international relations and help the Israeli economy”.
“Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz spoke with Transportation and Road Safety Minister Miri Regev ahead of her expected trip tomorrow (Sunday, 11 February 2024) on a professional working visit to India and Sri Lanka to sign a civil aviation agreement and promote cooperation between the countries,” it said. “Minister Katz noted the highlights that should be presented in favour of advancing Israeli political interests.”
“During her visit, the Minister of Transport is expected to promote the land route because of the Houthi threat to the region and to present the film of the October 7 atrocities to government officials and influencers,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the United States Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Liz Allen, is also in Sri Lanka on a visit that the State Department said underscores Washington’s “unwavering commitment to reinforcing and expanding partnerships and alliances”.
“The trip highlights the core of U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy initiatives: fostering freedom of expression, economic empowerment, and global collaboration,” it said.
In Colombo, Under Secretary Allen will offer “U.S. support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the State Department said. “Her agenda includes fostering dialogue on freedom of expression and democratic values with diverse groups of stakeholders, including journalists, civil society members, government officials, and the Embassy’s Youth Forum.”
Her engagements with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, U.S. public diplomacy programme alumni, and local content creators will emphasise the critical role of preserving diverse voices for a stable and inclusive Sri Lanka. Additionally, she will meet representatives from Sri Lanka’s multifaith community to underscore the importance of societal inclusivity, according to the State Department.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!