Seminar On Iran's Investment Opportunities Held In Rome

Rome, Dec 6, IRNA – 'Iran's Investment Opportunities Seminar' was held in Italian capital city, Rome Wednesday in presence of Economic Development Ministry, Customs Organization 0fficials, as well as Italian Industries Confederation, industrialists, and manufacturers of Italy. According to IRNA Rome Office, the cosponsors of the day-long seminar were the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Rome and the Iran-Italy Joint Chamber of Commerce and the seminar was held at the building of the Federation of Lazio Province Industrialists in Rome. In this seminar while referring to the imposed sanctions against Iran and the EU's unilaterally imposed sanctions, the latest developments in the two countries' economic and commercial relations were discussed. The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Italy Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Hosseini in an address at the seminar referred to the growing trend of Iran-Italy commerce in recent years, the politically motivated illegal UN Security Council resolutions and the unilaterally imposed sanctions, which have challenged the national interests of both countries. He referred to the fact that over 90% of the goods that are exchanged with Iran are not included in the sanctioned goods in various embargoes of the UN, EU and US, adding, 'The existence of countless and self-contradictory ambiguities in resolutions have led to confusion of European merchants, and therefore naturally to their vast-scale disappointment and dissatisfaction.' The IRI envoy meanwhile attracted the attention of the concerned Italian officials to the letters written by the Iranian minister of commerce and treasure and the president of the Central Bank of Iran to their European counterparts as effective first steps for holding constructive dialogues aimed at elimination of existing obstacles in the way of cooperation between the two countries' private sectors. The Head of the Joint Iran and Italy Chamber of Commerce Alexandro Del Rosario, too, considering some of the EU ratifications illegal, reiterated, 'The European and Italian officials must define a certain banking channel for conducting legitimate deals between the Iranian and the European merchants.' In another part of the seminar the representatives of a number of Italian companies referred to the existing difficulties in dealing with their Iranian counterparts for doing trade that is not included in the imposed sanctions, criticizing the Italian Government for supporting those politically motivated sanctions which are contrary with the interests of the Italians and the Europeans. A similar seminar titled 'Iran's Investment Opportunities' in different areas of energy, mineral resources, housing, hotel construction and tourism hubs was held in Rome on Friday. According to IRNA, in the opening ceremony of the two-day event, Iranian ambassador to Italy Mohammad Ali Hosseini addressing the Italian investors said that engaging in activities in the regional countries can easily take place via Iran's market and the investors can gain access to the entire markets of the region through Iran's market. Describing Iran as a stable country in the region with cheap energy, favorable weather conditions and potentials in different sectors, Hosseini noted that Iran has suitable conditions for interested Italian entrepreneurs and investors. The Iranian official added 'Iran is rapidly becoming an indisputable regional power and Iran's new diplomacy is based on privatization of big industries which is harbinger of great economic leaps forward.' He added: 'A total of 1,000 Italian companies are presently participating in Iran's development projects.'/end