KAMPALA, 22 October 2026 – The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth, has proposed parliamentary diplomacy as a way to break the bureaucratic deadlock holding up several agreements between Uganda and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Speaker made the proposal this morning at the Speaker’s Chambers.
He was receiving H.E. Majid Saffar, Iran’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uganda, who paid a farewell call at the end of his four-year tour of duty.
Ambassador Saffar briefed the Speaker on the state of bilateral relations.
He noted that earlier high-level engagements had produced signed agreements on judicial cooperation, customs, banking and trade. However, these agreements have stalled at the final stage of administrative review.
In response, Speaker Oboth drew on his background in defence. He observed that executive channels often encounter significant bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“Parliament could step in to create direct frameworks, incentive laws and business connections between the two countries,” he said.
To anchor the initiative, the Speaker committed to reviving the Iran-Uganda Parliamentary Friendship Group and appointing a new cohort of Ugandan legislators to it. The two leaders agreed to inaugurate the group and to keep channels of cooperation open.
The Speaker and the Ambassador also discussed Iran’s offers in trade, technology, health and education. These include supply routes for steel and fertilizers, drones for agricultural irrigation and security, and fully funded scholarships for Ugandan students.
Speaker Oboth thanked Ambassador Saffar for his four years of service in Uganda and wished him success in his future endeavours.
