Assistant to Foreign Minister Praises Sri Lankas Stance on Bilateral Relations with Iran

The Assistant to Minister and Director General of West Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the stance of Sri Lankas Foreign Minister regarding the countrys willingness to cooperate with Iran despite the threat of U.S. sanctions.

According to ISNA, Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, referencing a recent interview given by Ali Sabry, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, to Deutsche Welle, in which he addressed a question about Sri Lanka's relations with Iran despite the threat of U.S. sanctions, wrote on the social media platform X: "The strength of a nation is not solely defined by its size, population, economy, and military. The principled and logical articulation of a nation's national goals and foreign policy reflects its national power."

Mousavi added, "Ali Sabry, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, clearly articulates his country's logical reasons for maintaining good relations with Iran despite U.S. sanctions."

Mousavi's comments follow Ali Sabry's remarks in which he discussed Sri Lanka's relations with Iran in light of the potential consequences due to the threat of U.S. sanctions. In the interview, Sabry stated, "Someone else's enemy is not our enemy. Therefore, we will make decisions based on our bilateral relations."

Sabry further noted, "The United States is a close and powerful friend of Sri Lanka. Iran is as well. The fact that someone else has sanctioned Iran does not mean that we cannot work with them. Therefore, Iran has been a good friend of Sri Lanka for a long time. They built our only oil refinery."

Sabry added, "Our policy is to remain independent and non-aligned, while simultaneously cooperating with everyone. Our policy is friendship with all and enmity with none."