Shocked to hear of the assassination of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was a close friend of Sri Lanka & was also instrumental in launching several projects including the upgrading of the Sapugaskande Oil Refinery and the Uma Oya Multipurpose projects when he visited the island in 2008 under the invitation of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Iran has always been a true friend and I offer my deepest condolences to the families of all those who have reportedly been assassinated in the air strikes today . We stand with the people of #Iran at this hour of need and call on all parties to exercise restraint and discussions than chosing a path of war.
Sri Lanka knows the cost of conflict.
Decades of war taught us how deeply lives, communities, and economies can be affected. We strongly condemn violence in all forms.
Global tensions with the U.S., Israel, and Iran affect us all. Small nations feel the ripple of every great power conflict. Disruptions to trade, energy, and supply networks can directly impact livelihoods, markets, and essential services. The Sri Lankan government must anticipate these risks, strengthen contingency plans, and support those who could be affected.
I hope all Sri Lankans living and working in affected regions are safe. Protecting our people, at home and abroad, must always come first.
Even in the latter stages of our own conflict, Sri Lanka sought dialogue and diplomacy as the path to lasting peace. The world cannot pick and choose when to care. Preparing for potential consequences, promoting discussion, and maintaining stability remain the most effective paths to security and prosperity both at home and across our region.
#GlobalResponsibility
The traditions of the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union have, for generations, represented the highest ideals of free inquiry, rigorous debate, and intellectual courage. Speakers invited to these historic forums are expected to face difficult questions, defend their views, and engage with opposing perspectives before an informed and critical audience. It was precisely this spirit of open dialogue that I looked forward to participating in and welcomed without reservation.
It is therefore deeply unfortunate that circumstances arising from organised pressure prevented these engagements from taking place. Universities and debating societies have long been spaces where disagreement is addressed through discussion rather than disruption, and where ideas are challenged through argument rather than silenced by intimidation.
I would have welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with critics, including those who strongly oppose my views, because meaningful reconciliation and progress can only emerge when differing perspectives meet in open conversation. Denying such engagement does not strengthen democracy. It weakens it by replacing debate with division.
I remain grateful to both Unions for their invitation and understand the difficult position in which they found themselves. I hope that in the future we will have the opportunity to meet in a forum where dialogue prevails and discussion is encouraged.
@OxfordUnion@cambridgeunion
#OxfordUnion #CambridgeUnion