Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka for its cooperation in repatriating the bodies of those killed in what he described as the “unlawful and cowardly” U.S. attack on a vessel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, while reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to expanding bilateral relations across multiple sectors.
According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, President Pezeshkian made the remarks on Wednesday during a ceremony in Tehran to receive the credentials of Fazly Azmi Mohamed Ibrahim, Sri Lanka’s newly appointed ambassador to Iran. The Iranian President wished the envoy success in his diplomatic mission and highlighted what he described as the long-standing friendly relationship between the two countries.
Pezeshkian said relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sri Lanka have consistently been founded on mutual respect, mutual trust and shared interests. He expressed confidence that bilateral ties would continue to grow at an even faster pace in the coming years.
The Iranian President said Tehran was prepared to deepen cooperation with Sri Lanka in a wide range of areas of mutual interest. He identified economic and commercial relations, investment, energy, agriculture, technology and education among the sectors where the two countries could strengthen engagement. He also referred to opportunities for expanding exchanges of technical expertise and professional experience.
Calling for greater use of existing bilateral mechanisms, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of convening the Iran-Sri Lanka Joint Economic Commission on a regular basis. He said identifying new areas of cooperation, developing a roadmap for economic relations and ensuring close follow-up on the implementation of bilateral agreements would strengthen ties and enable both countries to make better use of existing capacities.
During the ceremony, Pezeshkian thanked Sri Lanka for its role in facilitating the repatriation of the bodies of those Iran described as martyrs of the U.S. attack on its naval vessel. He said Sri Lanka’s assistance reflected the friendly relations and mutual respect between the two countries.
Accepting his diplomatic appointment, Ambassador Fazly Azmi Mohamed Ibrahim said he was pleased to begin his mission in the Islamic Republic of Iran and conveyed the greetings of the President of Sri Lanka to President Pezeshkian and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
The ambassador also referred to the long history of diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Colombo, noting that the two countries will mark the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027. He said the milestone reflected the strength, continuity and depth of relations between the two nations.
The Sri Lankan envoy also expressed appreciation for Iran’s support for Sri Lanka in international organisations and multilateral forums. He said Sri Lanka had consistently valued what he described as Iran’s principled positions in support of the legitimate rights of nations and thanked Tehran for its support in safeguarding Sri Lanka’s dignity and sovereignty in the international arena.
