Araqchi Urges Sri Lanka and Maldives to Resist Western Sanctions

Iran’s Ambassador in Colombo announced that Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi has sent letters to the governments of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, urging them to resist Western sanctions and to take a public stance against such measures.

According to Ambassador Alireza Delkhosh, in these letters Araqchi warned of the erosion of international law as a result of following sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies. He emphasized that compliance with such measures risks establishing dangerous precedents for other countries.

The letters come in the wake of the reimposition of sanctions and resolutions against Iran following the activation of the “snapback mechanism” on September 28. These sanctions had previously been lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement.

In late August, the three European countries of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom had requested the activation of the mechanism against Iran. Tehran has described the move as lacking any legal or juridical basis.

In his message to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Araqchi stressed that the matter extends beyond Iran. He noted that while Iran is currently facing restrictions, in the future, similar measures could be directed against South Asia and Africa.

According to Araqchi, failure to resist the sanctions could result in the weakening and inefficacy of international law. He described the sanctions as “a challenge to the credibility of global legal frameworks” and urged Sri Lanka and the Maldives to stand against Western pressure and defend the integrity of international law.

He further cautioned that treating international law as a political tool is dangerous and carries long-term consequences for the global community.

Araqchi underscored in his letters that the current situation represents a test of the neutrality and credibility of international law. He urged the two nations to resist Western pressure and adopt a clear stance.

He also warned that ignoring this opportunity could lead to the erosion of international law and allow powerful states to impose sanctions without accountability.

The letters stressed that smaller states can play a significant role in defending international neutrality and preventing powerful countries from acting with impunity.

Ambassador Delkhosh remarked that supporting Iran’s position is not only about assisting one country but about safeguarding the credibility of the international system itself.