Minister Plantation Sri Lanka Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, and Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine, Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Alireza Paymanpak signed the MoU on behalf of their respective Governments. This was with the main focus to promote the mutually beneficial cooperation between Sri Lanka and Iran in the field of economic relations. The MoU aims at increasing the sale of Ceylon Tea to the Islamic Republic of Iran through the settlement of an outstanding payment for the oil purchases by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hashem Ashjazadeh , State Minister of Regional Co-operation Tharaka Balasuriya, State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea and Rubber Related Crop Cultivation and Factories Modernization and Tea/Rubber Export Promotion Kanaka Herath, Secretary Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle, Secretary Ministry of Plantation Ravindra Hewavitharana, Chairman SLTB Jayampathy Molligoda, Chairman of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation W.W.D. Sumith Wijesinghe, Director General of Sri Lanka Tea Board Anura Siriwardena, the Senior officials of the Foreign Ministry and the Tea Board in Sri Lanka were also present at the event of signing the MoU.

The Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine, Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Alireza Paymanpak also paid a courtesy call State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya and Secretary of the Foreign Ministry Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, and discussed the matters of mutual interest and ways of further enhancing the bilateral relations between the two countries.

At this moment of celebration we recall the dedication and efforts of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Iran Wishwanath Aponsu and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Sri Lanka Hashem Ashjazadeh which have immensely contributed to finalize the MOU and the commitment, foresight, goodwill and friendship between the two countries which paved the way to signing of this MOU.