COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday to inaugurate a hydropower and irrigation project that was long delayed due to international sanctions on his government and other issues.
Raisi is the first Iranian leader to visit Sri Lanka since former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad visited the country in 2008.
The project, valued at $514 million, was started in 2010 by Iran’s FARAB engineering group and Iran initially provided $50 million. But in 2013, funding could not be continued because of international sanctions against Iran. The Sri Lankan government then decided to complete the project with its own funds using the same Iranian contractor.
The project was scheduled for completion in 2015 but was delayed by the sanctions, technical issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said.
Do YOU think St George's Day should be a national holiday?
China Launches Special TCM Initiative for Betterment of Public Health
Qixi Festival Marked in Xi'an, NW China
China Takes Solid Steps to Foster Stronger Sense of Community for Chinese Nation
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 4/22/2024
China Eases Visa Rules for International Students
Schools in Beijing's Haidian District Make Preparation for New Semester
Vanessa Hudgens the Coachella queen explains why she skipped the festival this year
Number of Teachers Continues to Increase
Solomon Islands PM Sogavare commands largest bloc in Parliament after election — Radio Free Asia
China Issues Action Plan to Boost Enterprise Innovation