Nov 29, Colombo: President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to the Island after a successful tour in Iran early this morning, Presidential Media Unit said.

The President was successful in negotiating US Dollars 1.5 billion worth of aid from Iran for various development projects in Sri Lanka.

Iran’s Foreign Minister stated that President Rajapaksa’s tour to Iran has opened a new chapter in the long standing friendship between the two countries. Iran’s President has been invited to visit Sri Lanka to witness the launching of development projects under Iranian aid in the year 2008, the presidential media unit added.