President Rouhani officially welcomes Swedish PM
President Rouhani officially welcomed Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven at Sa’dabad Palace on Saturday 11 February 2017.

There are ample opportunities to develop Tehran-Stockholm ties/Iran, Sweden determined to deepen cooperation

Describing Tehran-Stockholm relations close and historical, President Rouhani said: “Developing ties between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sweden, as a developed European country, an EU member and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, is very important for us”.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Sweden on Saturday in Tehran, President Rouhani said: “Sweden’s position towards our country during the sanctions and the nuclear issues has always followed moderation”.

He added: “There are ample potentials to develop ties between the two countries in the fields of transportation, environment, ICT, mining and industries”.

Referring to the two countries’ determination to restore the cooperation, especially in economy, between the two countries to the pre-sanctions era, Rouhani said: “We are seeking to tap economic potentials and opportunities, especially Export Guarantee Fund and closer banking relations”.
“We believe that the European Union should fully support European companies and banks in the post-JCPOA era for them to make the best use of the environment for common interests,” continued Rouhani.

He also referred to negotiations about Iran’s transit route and connecting the Northern and Eastern Europe to the Indian Ocean through railways and roads, and said: “Developing academic, scientific, technological, and communications ties will be beneficial to both countries”.

“The first official visit by the Prime Minister of Sweden and the high-ranking delegation, accompanies by the representatives of 40 companies to the Islamic Republic of Iran means that there is serious resolve by both sides to develop ties in all fields and decrease tensions in the region, ultimately leading to regional and global peace and stability”.

At the same press conference, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven expressed happiness over visiting Tehran, saying: “The former Prime Minister of Sweden visited Tehran in the 80s multiple times to mediate between Iran and Iraq during the war but this is the first official visit of a Swedish Prime Minister to Iran and I am very happy that the honour is mine”.

He continued: “We discussed regional issues, human rights, Syrian issues, and Iran’s relations with other key countries of the region, such as Saudi Arabia”.

“We also talked about closer ties between companies of the two countries and following this visit, a number of ministers and representatives of great Swedish companies will visit Iran,” Löfven went on.

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Löfven will hold talks with Iranian officials over trade relations, bilateral cooperation and regional development, Mehr News Agency reported.

The delegation is comprised of representatives of a number of Swedish public companies and agencies.

Sweden’s Minister of EU Affairs and Trade Ann Linde will accompany Löfven on the trip to Iran.

Iran has long been one of the most important markets for Swedish exports in the Middle East. A number of Swedish companies are now active in Iran.

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Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholamhossein Shafei and Swedish Ambassador to Tehran Helena Sångeland met and discussed development of economic relations as well as removal of barriers to mutual cooperation between Iranian and Swedish economic activists.

Sahfei, while recalling that the two sides began official relations in 1920, said, despite the long distance, Iran and Sweden enjoy age-old and excellent economic and political relations as Volvo and Scania companies have always provided service to Iranians.

He pointed to presence of Swedish delegations in Iran following JCPOA implementation saying “over years, Iranian traders have had good relations with Swedish counterparts and both sides are required to join hands to resolve existing banking and insurance issues.

The official voiced satisfaction towards holding a new round of Joint Commission meeting following a long hiatus; “ICCIMA, as a private sector department, will offer necessary support for reinvigoration of bilateral economic ties.”

Sahfei called for alleviation of banking and monetary restrictions expressing hope that the measure will bolster trade turnover between the two countries.

Helena Sångeland, for her part, referred to long history of economic and political relations between the two countries stressing that Swedish brands are reliable as companies like Scania carried on activities even during sanction years.

She further announced the upcoming visit of her country’s prime minister to Tehran in February saying “Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven makes foreign trips only twice a year and one trip for 2017 will be devoted to Iran indicating the importance of bilateral ties with Tehran.”

The Swedish envoy expressed happiness towards emergence of new opportunities between the two countries following the nuclear deal adding “a number of delegations have been exchanged between the two sides over the past year the most significant of which was the visit to Iranian FM Zarif to Stockholm.”

The official, while recalling the visits of several Swedish ministers and officials to Iran, emphasized the need to exploit new opportunities; “reopening of Sweden’s economic center in Tehran would give way to presence of small and medium businesses for investment and joint venture.”

Sångeland went on to call for immediate removal of banking barriers though Swedish banks and firms would continue their activities in Iran regardless of existing obstacles.

“A proper mechanism exists in the Sweden’s Embassy in Tehran through which Iranians can obtain commercial visas,” highlighted the official while maintaining that certain issues still cause delays in the process.

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A number of agreements are expected to be signed during Prime Minister Lofven’s visit to Iran, Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Annika Soder said at a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi in Tehran on Monday, Tasnim News Agency reported.

She also voiced Sweden’s readiness to boost trade ties with Iran and explore avenues for investment in the populous Middle East country.

Takht Ravanchi said the Swedish PM’s visit to Iran can help promote the ties between Tehran and Stockholm.

He also described banking interaction as the key to expansion of relations between the two countries.

Heading a diplomatic delegation, Soder held a separate meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday.

They weighed plans for closer economic and political ties between Tehran and Stockholm, and also discussed banking interaction, Iran-EU relations, regional issues – including the crisis in Syria- and ways to fight narcotics trafficking.

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