Italy was first among European importers of Iranian commodities importing over 678,000 tons of Iranian goods worth more than $385 million in the nine-month period, announced Iran’s customs office, IRNA reported.

It further said that 40 European countries imported Iranian goods valued at $1.856 billion.

In late November, Italian Ambassador to Iran Mauro Conciatori in a meeting with Hormuzgan Governor General Jassem Jadari in Bandar Abbas voiced Rome’s willingness to expand economic and industrial relations with Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi met in New York which was the fourth meeting in the past years, he pointed out. During the meeting the two sides underscored the need to double efforts to broaden relations, Conciatori said during the meeting.

He reiterated that Iran and Italy have deep familiarity about each other and have been in contact with each other through Silk Road which can pave the way for boosting ties between the two countries.

Conciatori pointed to the berthing of Italian warship in Bandar Abbas, and said, “The presence of the Italian warship shows the positive development in relations between the two countries.”

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Italian Ambassador to Iran Mauro Conciatori said in a meeting with Hormuzgan Governor General Jassem Jedari in Bandar Abbas that Iranian president (Hassan Rouhani) and Italian prime minister (Matteo Renzi) met for the fourth time over the past year in New York last week during which both sides underscored the need for doubling efforts to broaden ties, wrote Fars News Agency.

Noting that Iran and Italy are quite familiar about each other and have been in contact through the Silk Road, he said this can pave the way for boosting ties between the two countries.

Conciatori pointed to the berthing of Italian warship in Bandar Abbas, and said the presence of the Italian warship is a positive development in relations between the two countries.

In mid-July, Iranian and Italian officials in a meeting in Sari, Mazandaran Province, signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to expand cooperation in areas such as trade and economic sectors.

The MoUs were signed in a ceremony attended by governors of Iran’s Mazandaran Province and Italy’s Marche Province.

Marche Governor Luca Ceriscioli was accompanied by a 50-member trade delegation which included 43 CEOs, manager of an Italian bank and chancellors of two Italian universities.

In mid-April, Iran and Italy signed 12 contracts to boost cooperation in trade and economic fields.

Chairman of Iran-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines Ahmad Pourfallah said the agreements were signed in a ceremony attended by Italian Prime Minister Renzi and Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, Mohammadreza Nematzadeh.

He said negotiations are also underway between Iranian and Italian trade delegations to discuss further cooperation in economy, trade and banking.

According to the official, the discussions include cooperation in oil, gas, electricity, power plant, steel, textile, fashion, car, infrastructure, urban planning and architecture, telecommunication, railway, airport construction, shipping, refinery, and petrochemicals.

He said the Italian economic delegation, including 70 economic firms, is the ninth delegation to visit Iran after the nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions.

A day earlier, President Rouhani had reiterated the need for the timely and precise implementation of the nuclear agreement by the world powers.

“The nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the US, Russia, Britain, France and China plus Germany) was a success for all countries which believe that talks is the solution to the international problems and we should well protect the achievements of this agreement so that all people opt for the path of talks as a role model to settle the problems in the world,” Rouhani said, addressing a meeting between high-raking Iranian and Italian delegations, also attended by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in Tehran.

He underscored the importance of precise and timely implementation of all undertakings accepted by the other side in the nuclear agreement with Iran.

President Rouhani also appreciated Italy for its goodwill and support during the Iran-P5+1 talks. iran daily

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The meetings indicate Iran’s importance for the leaders in order to expand their economic and political relations, particularly after the last year nuclear agreement between Tehran and P5+1 group of countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and British Prime Minister Theresa May met for the first time on the sidelines of the 71st UNGA session in New York.

During the meeting, Rouhani lauded the promotion of ties between Tehran and London, and called the nuclear deal a great development and a basis for closer bilateral cooperation.

Obstacles to economic cooperation

He also called on all parties of the agreement to fulfill their obligations, adding that until all the technical obstacles in banking and insurance services are not removed, the other side’s commitments are not fulfilled. Rouhani said the UK can take the key step in this regard.

The British premier hailed the expansion of Tehran-London relations in political and economic fields in recent years and said Britain would back further development of ties.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Rouhani arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday.

Main trade partner

Rouhani also held a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi where he stated that during the post-deal era Italy has the opportunity to become Iran’s main trade partner in Europe.

“Recent bilateral trips are a turning point in relations and a sign of determination of the two nations and governments to bolster cooperation,” said Rouhani.

On January 16, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, Britain, France, China and Russia – plus Germany started implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) they had clinched on July 14, 2015. Under the nuclear agreement, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in return for the termination of all nuclear-related sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

“Both sides must be committed to the JCPOA’s terms that can provide the basis for strengthening regional peace and security,” Rouhani added.

Fight against terrorism

In a separate meeting with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the fringes of the event, Rouhani said Iran and Turkey can play a key role in the fight against terrorism in the region.

“Terrorism is a threat to all of us and the two countries (Iran and Turkey) can play an important role in the fight against terrorism and insecurity in the region, Syria and Iraq in particular,” Rouhani said.

Erdogan thanked Iran for supporting the Turkish government in the early hours of this year’s failed coup attempt in his country on July 15, saying that Ankara is confident that Tehran will continue its support for its neighboring country.

“Iran and Turkey are two major Islamic countries in the region,” he added, noting that the two countries can cooperate and play a “determining” role in defusing the ongoing crises and establishing security in the region, particularly in Syria and Iraq.

Rouhani also met French President Francois Hollande and Slovenian President Borut Pahor on Tuesday.

The Iranian president is scheduled to deliver a speech at the General Assembly session on Thursday. He is also scheduled to meet with senior officials of other countries as well as a number of political and economic elites.

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President Rouhani described the signing of 36 cooperation documents between Iran and Italy in the recent months as the illustrator of the firm resolve of the two countries for developing ties and cooperation and said: “Italian Prime Minister’s trip to Tehran is a significant start for developing Tehran-Rome ties in different economic, scientific, technological and tourism fields, as well as consultation and coordination in important regional and international issues”.

Tehran, Rome to restore trade to pre-sanctions level

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would like to see its trade ties with Italy restored to the level that existed before the Islamic Republic came under nuclear-related sanctions.

President Rouhani made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Tehran on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

“Italy was Iran’s biggest trade partner in the European Union prior to the sanctions, and today we want the country to perform its previous role,” the president said.

The EU lifted its sanctions against Iran under a nuclear agreement reached between Tehran and the P5+1. The deal was reached last July and went into force in January this year.

Renzi arrived early Tuesday at the head of a 250-strong political and economic delegation, making him the first Italian official in such capacity to travel to the Islamic Republic since 2001.

Italian foreign minister, minister of infrastructures and transports, minister of economic development, and minister of agriculture, food and forestry policies as well as businessmen and personalities from Italy’s public and private sectors are accompanying Renzi in the visit.

Seven documents for cooperation were signed by the two sides earlier in the day.

President Rouhani visited Italy in January for two days, during which the two countries signed deals worth up to 17 billion euros (18.42 billion dollars).

In his Tuesday remarks, Rouhani said his visit to Italy and Renzi’s travel to Iran “both carry a clear message of the two governments’ resolve to expand relations in the areas of economy, science, and culture.”

The Italian premier has described his visit to Iran as a political “investment,” saying friendship with Tehran could contribute to the fight against Daesh, which has staged deadly attacks across Europe.

Italy was one of Iran’s leading economic and trade partners before sanctions when annual exchanges amounted to 7 billion euros compared with $1.6 billion euros now.

European governments have scrambled to renew business ties with Iran since the EU, the US, China, and Russia reached the nuclear agreement with Tehran in July last year.

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