TEHRAN Nov. 22 (Shana) � Iranian deputy minister for international affairs and trading said Thailand has voiced its readiness to buy crude oil from Iran after the sanction's removal, saying a joint economic commission between the two countries will be held in the beginning months of 2016.

Following a meeting with Suvit Maesincee, Thai Deputy Minister of Commerce, in Tehran, Amir Hossein Zamaninia told Shana that the Thai official voiced Bangkok's readiness to purchase oil cargoes from Iran in the post-sanctions era.

"Thailand's growing need for energy has prompted it to call for Iranian crude oil supplies," said the Iranian official.

He said Thailand can become Iran's gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, adding that during the meeting opportunities for joint investments and ventures by the two countries in the run-up to the Iran-Thailand Joint Economic Commission were discussed.

Executives of a number of Thai energy companies accompanied Maesincee in the meeting with Zamaninia.
ASEAN is a political and economic organization of ten Southeast Asian countries. It was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, and sociocultural evolution among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to resolve differences peacefully.

By SHANA