Iran's President Raisi Inaugurates Sri Lanka Project Amid Absence of Controversial Interior Minister
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Sri Lanka on Wednesday to inaugurate an Iran-backed power and irrigation project.
His interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi, who is wanted for a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people, was not with him.
Interpol issued a red notice for Vahidi's arrest, and Argentina requested Pakistan and Sri Lanka to detain him.
However, Vahidi was reportedly back in Iran on Tuesday, attending a ceremony there.
Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka unaccompanied by Vahidi.
An Iranian delegation, led by President Ebrahim Raisi, visited Sri Lanka to inaugurate a $514 million Iran-backed irrigation and hydro-electricity project called Uma Oya.
The project, which was scheduled to be completed in 2014 but was delayed due to sanctions against Iran, has been a subject of controversy as top Iranian officials have been charged with ordering the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina's history in 1994, which was allegedly carried out by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
However, Iran denies any involvement, and the interior minister was not part of the Iranian delegation to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka and Iran have a long-standing partnership, with Sri Lanka funding most of a $514 million hydroelectric project after an initial investment from Iran's Export Development Bank in 2010.
The project, which includes two reservoirs and hydro dam generators, will irrigate 4,500 hectares of new land and generate 120 megawatts of electricity.
Iran is a significant buyer of Sri Lanka's tea, the country's main export commodity, and Sri Lanka is currently repaying a $215 million debt for Iranian oil through tea exports.
The two nations have a history of cooperation, with Iran having built Sri Lanka's only oil refinery in 1969.
Iranian President Raisi's recent visit to Sri Lanka symbolized the continued collaboration between the two nations in this infrastructure project.
I.
Context: Iranian President Raisi visited Sri Lanka after a three-day trip to Pakistan.
II.
Background: The visit came following military strikes in January between Iran and Pakistan in the Balochistan region, which borders the two countries.
III.
Incident: Iran launched missile attacks against an anti-Iran group inside Pakistan, prompting Pakistan to retaliate by targeting "militant bases" within Iran.
IV. History: Both nations have a long-standing accusation of harboring militants on their respective sides of the border.
Interpol issued a red notice for Vahidi's arrest, and Argentina requested Pakistan and Sri Lanka to detain him.
However, Vahidi was reportedly back in Iran on Tuesday, attending a ceremony there.
Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka unaccompanied by Vahidi.
An Iranian delegation, led by President Ebrahim Raisi, visited Sri Lanka to inaugurate a $514 million Iran-backed irrigation and hydro-electricity project called Uma Oya.
The project, which was scheduled to be completed in 2014 but was delayed due to sanctions against Iran, has been a subject of controversy as top Iranian officials have been charged with ordering the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina's history in 1994, which was allegedly carried out by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
However, Iran denies any involvement, and the interior minister was not part of the Iranian delegation to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka and Iran have a long-standing partnership, with Sri Lanka funding most of a $514 million hydroelectric project after an initial investment from Iran's Export Development Bank in 2010.
The project, which includes two reservoirs and hydro dam generators, will irrigate 4,500 hectares of new land and generate 120 megawatts of electricity.
Iran is a significant buyer of Sri Lanka's tea, the country's main export commodity, and Sri Lanka is currently repaying a $215 million debt for Iranian oil through tea exports.
The two nations have a history of cooperation, with Iran having built Sri Lanka's only oil refinery in 1969.
Iranian President Raisi's recent visit to Sri Lanka symbolized the continued collaboration between the two nations in this infrastructure project.
I.
Context: Iranian President Raisi visited Sri Lanka after a three-day trip to Pakistan.
II.
Background: The visit came following military strikes in January between Iran and Pakistan in the Balochistan region, which borders the two countries.
III.
Incident: Iran launched missile attacks against an anti-Iran group inside Pakistan, prompting Pakistan to retaliate by targeting "militant bases" within Iran.
IV. History: Both nations have a long-standing accusation of harboring militants on their respective sides of the border.
Translation:
Translated by AI
