Iran urges respect for basic rights of Sri Lankans

The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson stressed the need to respect the fundamental rights of people of Sri Lanka after a tumultuous day in the South Asian nation where protesters stormed the president’s residence and set the prime minister’s home on fire.

According to Tasnim news agency, reacting to the recent developments in Sri Lanka, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kan'ani underlined the need for respecting the basic rights of the Sri Lankan people and expressed hope that the situation in the South Asian country would return to the path of law as soon as possible.

He also pointed to the constant contacts with the Iranian Embassy in Colombo for receiving the news of the safety of Iranians living in Sri Lanka, urging them to stay away from the gathering focal points and keep in touch with the Embassy of Iran in Colombo, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly agreed to step down next week after protesters stormed the presidential palace and set fire to the prime minister’s home on Saturday to vent their anger over a worsening economic crisis.

The news of the president’s decision triggered an eruption of celebratory fireworks in parts of the capital, Colombo.

Earlier in the day, Rajapaksa was evacuated from the presidential palace in Colombo, before thousands of protesters stormed the building, demanding his resignation.

ME