TEHRAN – Malaysia called for the resumption of crude and oil products purchases from Iran, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Trading Amirhossein Zamaninia was quoted by IRNA as saying on Tuesday.

The official made the statement after a meeting with Malaysia’s Speaker of the House of Representatives Tan Sri Amin Haji Mulia in Tehran on Tuesday.

Mentioning Malaysia’s willingness on resuming transactions with Iran, Zamaninia also noted that the negotiations in this regard are ongoing.

Iran-Malaysia oil cooperation goes back to pre-sanctions era when Iran used to send a daily average of 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil to the country.

Early in May, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh met with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman in Tehran and stressed that considering the lack of oil exports, the two countries should embark on short term business cooperation for a start.

Zanganeh also said that Malaysian companies were ready to resume cooperation with Iran and the two sides will soon begin the negotiations starting from the previously existed agreements.

Business, sales of crude oil and oil products, oil and gas fields’ development and investment in the downstream sector were among topics discussed during the meeting of Zanganeh and Aman in May.

EF/MA