Sri Lanka’s oil minister said on Sunday that his country plans to resume oil imports from Iran following the removal of anti-Tehran sanctions.

At a meeting with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh in Tehran on Sunday, Chandima Weerakkody announced Colombo’s readiness to restart importing Iran's crude.

Describing Iran and Sri Lanka as close and old-age friends, he expressed the hope that the two nations will develop their mutual cooperation in the oil sector, Shana reported.

The Sri Lankan minister also hailed the removal of the sanctions as "good news" for the people of his country. 

The sanctions were lifted after Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14, 2015 reached an agreement on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and started implementing it on January 16.

(Tasnim)