Sri Lanka Keen to Use Iran’s Expertise in Diverse Fields
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen expressed his country’s willingness to employ Iran’s technical expertise, saying Colombo looks for the broader presence of the Iranian investors in the Southeast Asian country.
In a Wednesday meeting with Iran’s Acting Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi here in Tehran, the visiting Sri Lankan minister described as friendly and firm the bilateral relations between Tehran and Colombo, saying his country wants to utilize the Islamic Republic’s technical expertise and engineering consultation.
Bathiyutheen has travelled to Tehran to participate in the 10th session of Iran-Sri Lanka Joint Economic Commission.
He also noted that Colombo seeks to woo Iranian investors and merchants from state and private sectors, and expressed willingness to see their cooperation in Sri Lanka’s construction, development and infrastructural projects.
Sarmadi, for his part, called for strengthened ties between the two countries, particularly within the regional and international organizations, including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), over which Iran presides now.
In a separate development last month, Sri Lankan Petroleum Resources Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa announced that his country is willing to resume crude oil imports from Iran amid speculations over Iran sanctions relief.
“We are still not sure what sanctions will be lifted but our refineries are built to suit Iranian oil so if things go well we will consider the option of importing oil from Iran once again,” Yapa said in December, 2013.