After Iran’s former president Raisi decided to come to Sri Lanka, the government’s unofficial media spread the news that worries were expressed to Sri Lanka from America and Israel. The government’s unofficial media also reported that two officials of the American Embassy had informed the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stop Raisi from coming to Sri Lanka. There was controversial news published in the media about the Israeli 4X-AGH aircraft which was parked on the same tarmac where the plane carrying Raisi was to touchdown in Sri Lanka.
Media reports indicated that it was not a scheduled flight that was supposed to be in Sri Lanka, however, the flight carrying Iran’s former president Raisi was delayed for over an hour. The flight’s scheduled arrival time was in Sri Lanka at 9.20, but it landed in Sri Lanka at 10.30. Although the Sri Lankan government was prepared to provide the necessary air travel facilities for Raisi to fly from Mattala Airport to Umaoya, Raisi had informed the Sri Lankan government that he would like to travel by road.
Raisi had also refused the use of helicopters by the Sri Lankan government. Raisi wanted to meet the people gathered along the sides of the road when the official convoy he was travelling passed from Hambantota to Umaoya. He requested the convoy to stop and he got down from the car and talked to the people. His bodyguards were frightened and formed a security cordon around him, but Raisi broke through the cordon and spoke to the crowd. He spent about 30 minutes on the highway with people.
This completely changed Raisi’s timing of the tour schedule. President Ranil had to wait for him for a long time. The Raisi-Ranil meeting at the President’s Secretariat was also delayed. In that meeting, something unexpected happened to Ranil. Raisi told Ranil that he had to go to the Kollupitiya mosque to pray. Before meeting Ranil, Raisi had informed the Sri Lankan security establishment about this through his security men, but the Sri Lankan security establishment had denied it, saying that they could not give security to Raisi in the mosque.
Going to the Kollupitiya mosque was not in Raisi’s program. Raisi was informed If he wanted to pray, a separate room could be arranged in the Presidential Secretariat, but Raisi said that he should go to the Kollipitiya mosque. He finally submitted that request to Ranil. Ranil allowed it because it could not refused by him.
It is unclear whether Raisi altered the timing of his visit to Sri Lanka as a precautionary measure or due to a lack of safety concerns. Additionally, it remains unknown if he declined to fly within Sri Lanka out of fear of a potential attack during air travel.
