The National Iranian Oil Engineering Company (NIOEC) is in talks with Sierra Leone to build an oil refinery in the West African country, a report said.

Several rounds of negotiations have been held with countries in Europe, Asia and Africa to construct or purchase refineries, Aliasgar Sajedi, NIOEC director was quoted in the Iran Daily report.

"The country intends to buy shares of foreign refineries to guarantee the purchase of its crude oil," Sajedi said.  "Based on the negotiations, in the first stage, Iran will construct oil storage depots in Sierra Leone.”

This will be followed by the construction of the refinery in the next stage, he added.