Italy eager to participate in Iran markets

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA – Italy's Ambassador to Iran Giuseppe Perrone stated here on Saturday that the Italian companies are interested in having an active presence and having activities in the Iranian markets. Italy and Iran are both eager to develop bilateral cooperation, the ambassador said in a meeting held in the Iranian capital with Chairman of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Massoud Khansari. As Perrone said, the investment made by an Italian company in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz and the travel of a trade Italian delegation to Iran indicate that Rome is keen on promoting and preserving relations with Tehran. He further expressed the readiness of the Italian Embassy in Tehran to improve and boost economic ties with Iran. Despite certain European countries' measures, Italy endeavors to keep financial channels open in order to boost banking relations with Iran, the ambassador noted. Then, he welcomed barter trade between Rome and Tehran, stressing that such a mechanism would be a good logical solution in the present conditions. The ambassador, at the end of his remarks, called for making efforts to remove problems in the path to the development of economic cooperation. For his part, the Iranian official criticized the US unilateral sanctions against Tehran that have recently led to a decrease in bilateral cooperation with Rome. Khansari hoped that the Italian Embassy in Tehran would facilitate exchange between Iranian and Italian private sectors and take steps towards weakening the sanctions. The official expressed the Tehran chamber of commerce's readiness to do whatever it can to develop cooperation. Like the Italian ambassador, Khansari welcomed barter exchange between the two countries. Despite the world criticism, US President Donald Trump withdrew unilaterally from the Iran Deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May, 2018. To respond reciprocally to the US move, Tehran decided to reduce its commitments to the JCPOA, based on Article 26 and 36, and set a deadline for Europeans to remedy breaches on the first anniversary of the US withdrawal in May 2019. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish