Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi met on Sunday on the sidelines of UNGA summit in New York.
During the meeting Rouhani called for immediate action to compensate shortcomings in Iran-Italy relations after hinderings caused by American-led sanctions against Iran.
The Iranian President referred to areas of oil, gas, and heavy industries that were previously areas of many joint projects and asserted that the current situation lets the return of Italian industries to Iran’s huge market.
Rouhani reiterated that along with resumption of former Italians’ investments in oil, gas, petrochemicals, transit, industry, and mining, Iran is more eying for the transfer of technology and joint production of goods for exporting.
To broaden all-out relations between Tehran and Rome, it is also necessary to bolster academic, scientific, and cultural ties, President Rouhani affirmed.
On the crisis in the Middle East, Rouhani warned that the crisis can spread over the Mediteranean and called for joint efforts of Tehran and Rome in dealing with Middle East issues.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, for his part, announced the imminent dispatch of a big Italian delegation to Tehran in order to negotiate cooperation in industries, environmental issues, car manufacuring, oil, gas, petrochemicals, mining, and medicine.
"I have encouraged Italian companies to take advantage of joint projects with Iranian partners, and many Italians are really eager for cooperation with Iranians," the Italian PM said in the meeting. He also affirmed that President Rouhani’s visit to Rome will speed up development of bilateral ties.
Referring to the history of both nations, Renzi emphasized that Iran and Italy are the birthplace of human civilization and this valuable infrastructue shoud be used for a better future for the whole world.
On terrorism, the Italian official voiced hope that assisted by Iran, Italy would focus more on issues of Middle East and the Mediteranean region.
Meanwhile at the beginning of the meeting, the Italian PM expressed his grief and sympathy over the tragic death of pilgrims in Mina incident and offered condolences to President Rouhani.
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