The Governor of Central Bank of Iran Akbar Komijani conferred with Udaya Prabath Gammanpila, the visiting Sri Lankan energy minister on Saturday.
Recalling the longstanding commercial relations between the two countries, Komijani welcomed the expansion of bilateral trade.
The senior banker reiterated that the CBI and the banking network are ready to help develop payment mechanisms to support bilateral trade, the CBI website said.
“Promoting commercial relations and settling financial issues based on previous agreements is on the agenda,” Komijani said, expressing the hope that “the meeting could create the conditions expanding banking and commercial ties” between Iran and the island state.
To facilitate mutual commercial relations, Komijani proposed setting up a joint taskforce comprising banking and commercial experts from both sides.
On his part, Gammanpila said that his country “is willing to expand ties with Iran despite the existing restrictions”. “Sri Lanka welcomes workable solutions in line with safeguarding the interests of the two countries,” the minister said.
Referring to the economic blockade imposed by the United States, the official said that “his country will stand by Iran and [help] protect its interests”.
Iran mainly exports bitumen, non-alloy semi-finished iron/steel products, urea and turbines to Sri Lanka. In return, the Lankans are one of the main exporters of tea and tropical fruits to Iran.
Colombo was the 35th exporter of goods to Iran in fiscal 2018-19. It was also Iran’s 39th export destination that year.
