Publish Date: 29 July 2015 - 16:53

TEHRAN, Jul. 29 (MNA) – President Hassan Rouhani said here on Wednesday that the nuclear agreement should lead to a better cooperation between Iran and Europe.

President Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with Visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

Stressing that cooperation over Vienna deal should be based on trust for future relations, Rouhani called the deal as a benefit for Iran, 5+1 and all regional players.

"Tehran-Paris relations have seen ups and downs in the years after the Islamic Revolution," President Rouhani said, underlying that Iran wanted to look ahead in its future relations, while indeed taking lessons from the past.

Noting that Iran and France had a history of cooperation, President Rouhani said, "the two countries need to stay strong until the deal is reached because the agreement could be the basis for other bilateral agreements and cooperation between Iran and the European Union."

Stressing that Iranian people gave special respect to the culture of the French people, president said Iran did not focus solely on economic issues concerning future relations with France, but on developing cultural, scientific, technological, academic and tourism ties which play a significant role in enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

Fabius also officially submitted French President Francois Hollande's invitation to Rouhani, stressing that French government is seeking to establish a relationship with Iran based on mutual respect and friendship.

Expressing gratitude over French president's invitation to pay a visit to Paris, Rouhani said economic relations between Iran, France and Europe play a vital role in promoting friendly ties as well as providing economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation.

"Today is the beginning of a new chapter for cooperation between Tehran and Paris, the prospects of which are definitely due to the nuclear agreement," Fabius underlined, highlighting the need for compensating for the past and promoting and expanding cooperation.

Fabius reiterated that Hollande has friendly feelings towards Iran.

Upon arrival in Tehran on Wednesday morning, Fabius said that an economic French delegation, including several companies, will visit Iran in September.

The last Iranian president to make a state visit to France was Seyed Mohammad Khatami who visited the country in 1999 when Jacques Chirac was the French president. This is the first visit by a French foreign minister to Tehran in 12 years.