User:Pectore/li

Iran and Sri Lanka have had official diplomatic relations since 1961. .

History
Diplomatic relations between the two nations began in 1961 via the Sri Lankan embassy in Islamabad, which was the closest Sri Lanka had to a presence on Iranian soil until the opening of the Tehran embassy office in 1990. Tehran set up its Colombo office in 1975.

After Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became President of Iran, Sri Lanka was the first country he visited on his inaugural Asian tour. M[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] also made ties with Iran a priority after he ascended to office.

Development
Iran has helped fund a number of development projects in Sri Lanka, and by 2008 had already invested 1.9 billion US Dollars on various Sri Lankan development projects. In 2010 they agreed to post USD 450-500 million for the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project, a 90-100 megawatt hydroelectric power plant around the Central Province. Iran has also invested in Sri Lankan Oil refineries and in Rural electrification