TEHRAN: Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Iran, Professor Fazeeha Azmi, has visited the Permanent Secretariat of the Asian Mayors Forum in Tehran, meeting Secretary General Dr Hamdreza Gholamzadeh to discuss deeper cooperation between Sri Lankan and Iranian cities.
The visit saw Dr Gholamzadeh congratulate Professor Azmi on her new posting and outline the Forum’s mandate, governance structure and development priorities. Founded in 2008, the Asian Mayors Forum works to strengthen ties between mayors and city managers across Asia in pursuit of sustainable urban integration and improved quality of life.
Professor Azmi reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s continued participation in the Forum and praised its role in fostering collaboration among Asian cities, while pointing to shared areas of interest and welcoming closer engagement between Sri Lankan municipalities and the organisation.
Dr Gholamzadeh raised the prospect of a sister-city arrangement between Tehran and Colombo, describing it as a valuable opportunity to broaden inter-city cooperation. He said the Forum was keen to expand its work with Sri Lankan cities and asked the Embassy in Tehran to help build a stronger link between the Secretariat and the Colombo Municipal Council ahead of forthcoming activities.
In response, Professor Azmi welcomed the idea of sister-city partnerships extending beyond Colombo to include Kandy and Galle, pairing them with Iranian cities such as Tehran. She committed to helping establish a firm connection between the Colombo Municipal Council and the Forum to support Sri Lanka’s active involvement, the exchange of knowledge and best practice, and stronger cooperation with other cities across Asia.
Both sides underlined the value of sharing experience on successful initiatives, best practice and the challenges of city management, noting that such exchanges would prove mutually beneficial given the pace of urbanisation across Asia.
Dr Gholamzadeh closed the meeting by expressing his full support for the Ambassador and satisfaction with the discussions. The Forum’s Deputy Secretary General, Najme Khatami, and Director of International Organisations, Mahshid Taghikhani, also attended.
The prospect of formal sister-city links between Colombo and Tehran will be of interest to Sri Lankans living in Iran and the wider region, offering a potential new channel for cultural and municipal exchange between the two countries.
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