The Pathfinder Foundation and Governance and Policy Think Tank (GPTT) Iran jointly organised a webinar on Iran-Sri Lanka Relations: Ties of the Past, Pointers to the Future on which will be held today (3), bringing together experts on the subject.

Pathfinder Foundation Chairperson Bernard Goonetilleke, and GPTT Co-founder and Senior Advisor Dr. Seyed Emamian, delivered welcome remarks on behalf of the two organisations. During the discussion, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General, Economic Affairs (TC) Amb. Vipulatheja Wishvanath Aponsu, Former Islamic Republic of Iran Ambassador to Sri Lanka Amb. (Retd.) Abdul-Reza Faraji Rad, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Visiting Lecturer in International Relations Dr. Zameer Careem, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy Director of Strategic Studies Capt. Qasem Abbasian,  Former Sri Lanka Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran Amb. (Retd.)  M.M. Zuhair, and Indian Subcontinent Expert Dr. Amin Rezaeinejad, will speak on ‘Modern Iran-Sri Lanka Ties’.

Iran and Sri Lanka have a longstanding history of bilateral relations, primarily centred around trade, cultural exchange, and mutual interests in regional stability. Although economic ties remain crucial, particularly in the energy sector, they are subject to external pressures. Both countries are interested in broadening their economic ties beyond the energy sector, exploring agriculture, tourism, and technology opportunities. The webinar aims to discuss the historical context, assess the current dynamics, and explore future opportunities for deeper engagement between Iran and Sri Lanka. 

GPTT Parliament, and Political Studies Department Senior Researcher Dr. Hassan Emaei, will be the guest at the question and answer session. Any interested members can join with Pathfinder web and the meeting Link: https://vc.sharif.edu/gptt