Highly placed officers at the US embassy in Colombo have opposed the impending visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the ‘Aruna’ newspaper reports.

Highly placed sources have confirmed that officials from the US embassy who had visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Sri Lanka on April 16 and 17 had voiced their opposition, the newspaper adds.

It further notes that a team of Iranian security detail had arrived at Sri Lanka yesterday (17) ahead of President Raisi’s visit.

The Iranian President will arrive in Sri Lanka on April 24 on a one-day official visit to inaugurate the Tehran-assisted Uma Oya multipurpose development project worth $529 million.

The plane carrying the Iranian President is to land at Mattala Airport and the President is to be escorted under strict security to Uma Oya before he leaves the country on the same day, ‘Aruna’ reports.

This is the first time an Iranian President is visiting Sri Lanka since 2008.

The Uma Oya project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2015, but had been delayed several times due funding issues after the US imposed economic sanctions on Iran and the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

The ‘Aruna’ newspaper further notes :

A special discussion on the security detail of the Iranian President was chaired by the Secretary of the Defence Ministry – General Kamal Gunaratne yesterday (17). Parallelly, a group of MoD officials had gone to the Mattala Airport.

According to diplomatic sources, the US FBI as well as Iraq’s Mossad are keeping a close eye on the Iranian President’s visit.

Speaking to ‘Aruna’, a senior officer has also stated that all intelligence units of Sri Lanka will collaborate to provide security to the visiting Iranian President.

(Source : Aruna)

The mobile phone of National Freedom Front leader – Wimal Weerawansa, had recently remained switched off, causing quite a stir among political circles.

As pointed out by cartoonists, it is no secret that Mr. Weerawansa’s mobile phone is almost never switched off.

This had sparked rumours, citing the reason as his close aide – Nimal Piyatissa attending a New Year festival attended by President Ranil Wickremesinghe as chief guest.

However, the actual reason is revealed to be Mr. Weerawansa working on his next book which is set to be published on his birthday which falls on May 15.

In addition, it is revealed that Mr. Piyatissa had also participated in the aforementioned event on the invitation of the organizers – the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Secretariat and ‘Youth Api Organization’.

Two official vehicles provided to Keheliya Rambukwella during his tenure as Health Minister are yet to be handed over to the ministry by his family, despite the former minister being in remand custody for nearly 2 1/2 months.

President of the ‘Puravesi Balaya’ organisation – Kamantha Thushara has lodged a complaint in this regard yesterday (April 17), with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The complaint calls for an investigation to prevent these two vehicles being misused.

Mr. Thushara has also noted that the official residence provided to the former Minister is also being misused as it is being used by his children.