Iranian President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmedinajad will arrive in Sri Lanka today on a two-day official visit that is expected to give a major boost growing political, economic and cultural the ties between Sri Lanka and Iran.

The visit takes place at the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who made an official visit to Iran last year.

The Iranian President will be accompanied by a high-powered delegation that includes Foreign Minister Manouchehir Mottaki and Commerce Minister Mir Kazema.

Key events on the Iranian leader’s two-day stay in Sri Lanka will be the inauguration of the Sapugaskanda Petroleum Refinery expansion project funded by Iran, which will process light and crude oil from Iran, serving a major need in Sri Lanka’s petroleum industry; and the visit to the Uma Oya project, which will receive US$ 450 million from Iran for construction to generate 100 MW of electricity and provide water to the Moneragala and Hambantota Districts.

Following bi-lateral discussion between the Presidents of Iran and Sri Lanka, there will be several agreements signed between the two countries on aspects of economic and cultural cooperation. During President Rajapaksa’s visit to Iran last year, he secured Iranian commitment to fund several major Sri Lankan development projects estimated at US$ 1.9 billion, and an important interest-free facility to import Iranian oil to Sri Lanka.

With this visit and the new agreements on economic ties Iran is expected to emerge as one of the major donors of economic assistance to Sri Lanka.