ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka expressed gratitude for Iran’s offer to supply oil in the event of Colombo requests, but said the country has no ship to explore the offer.
Iran’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka said on Monday (23) that the oil rich nation was ready to provide fuel and other necessary goods to Sri Lanka if it requests them as the island nation grapples with fuel shortages and expensive essential goods.
Already the country has implemented fuel rationing.
Nalinda Jayatissa, the Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Media and Health, thanked them for the offer but said Sri Lanka is unable to accept it.
“A country owning a ship has the opportunity to buy Iranian oil. We don’t have that option. We are thankful for Iran’s offer,” he told the weekly cabinet media briefing.
“However, have already placed some ordered some crude and refined oil shipments. Tenders are already floated. We expect to receive these fuel shipments. Even today we are above to float a tender. As per tendered floated so far, we should have adequate fuel up until end April.
Sri Lanka has also been exploring to strike a government-to-government deal with Russia to buy oil and the Russian Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin is expected to visit Sri Lanka to hold formal talks, Jayatissa said.
However, the Cabinet Spokesman did not respond when asked why Sri Lanka is not talking to the United States on supplying oil as it is main reason for the current oil prices shock while the U.S. is now in control of Venezuelan oil reserves.
Since the U.S./Israel attack on Iran, oil price have shot up around 35 percent in Sri Lanka and the island nation’s 22 million people are experiencing the trickle down impacts of the price increases including expensive transport and food.