Lanka one of Iran's best friends - Ambassador

Iran has recognized Sri Lanka as one of its best friends. Iran will stand by Sri Lanka and extend its fullest support to safeguard Sri Lanka's sovereignty and freedom and help consolidate the peace President Mahinda Rajapaksa has achieved for the country, said, Iranian Ambassador As Shaik Mahmood Rahimi Gorgi addressing a felicitation ceremony at the Ishaniya Arabic College, Peer Saibo Street, Colombo 12. Gorji said no power on earth could destabilise Iran and all foreign conspiracies will be thwarted. Dr. Mahmood Ahmadi Najath, who has been elected again as the President of Iran is a close friend of President Rajapaksa and people of Sri Lanka.

He has extended economic assistance for the Uma Oya and Sapugaskanda Refinery projects.

He will continue to help Sri Lanka to prosper, he said.

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana said that the late Ayatullah Rohulla Musawi Khomeni brought about a real Islamic revolution which gave wider place to the Iranians in the international polity. Zionism is the common enemy of mankind, and Iran has successfully taken a great stride to defeat this vicious enemy.

Presidential Advisor and Media Ombudsman A.H.M. Azwer said it was the late Sir Mohamed Macan Markar, the first Muslim Minister in the State Council and Dr. T.B. Jayah the first Muslim Minister in the Independence Sri Lanka and who in 1931 identified that Zionism would force great danger to all countries in the world and wanted Ceylonese to guard themselves from falling a prey to its manouvers.