Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.15
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iranian industry minister Mohammadreza Nematzadeh has said the country hopes to come to terms with Sri Lanka on receiving Iranian petrodollars which have been blocked in Sri Lanka, the Mehr News Agency reported on Jan.15.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Iran-Sri Lanka joint economic committee meeting In Tehran, Nematzadeh added that international sanctions had caused a portion of Iranian petrodollars to be blocked in Sri Lanka.
Before imposed sanctions by the U.S., Sri Lanka bought 39,000 barrels of Iranian oil a day.
Nematzadeh held the two countries' 10th joint economic committee meeting with Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.
A trade preferential agreement, water and dam projects, financing projects, and Sri Lanka's $250 million oil debt to Iran were discussed in the event.
Iran and Sri Lanka have had official diplomatic relations since 1961.