Iran invites Sri Lanka for Joint Economic Commission talks in Teheran

Iran has invited Sri Lanka to attend the 12th Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC), which is to be held in Tehran in August.

Iranian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mohammad Zaerl Amirani met with S Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen on Monday and said the State visit by Sri Lankan delegation led by President Maithripala Sirisena to Teheran last month was very good and productive, Colombo Page reported.

Amirani said that five Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) were signed between the two countries in Tehran during Sirisena's visit.

The 5 MoUs, including fight against drug trafficking, health, standardization, film industry and exchange of students are to provide great benefits to Sri Lanka.

Bathiudeen welcomed Amirani's invitation and appreciated the warm hospitality extended by Iran last month.

The series of JCEC has been helpful in advancing the relations between the two countries, he added.

He also said it is time to diversify our exports basket to Iran and August JCEC can help us do that.

The 11th JCEC was held in February 2016 in Colombo.