President Rouhani arrived in Paris on Wednesday evening and attended its first economic event in the timetable with French business tycoons and great industry managers. “Iran welcomes French participation in its economic sectors and I believe investments in our economy will provide safe profits and receive guarantees; I consider the attendance of the meeting a willingness to invest in an economy of huge advantage and capacities,” Mr. Rouhani allured the meeting.
The meeting was a high-profile event where some of French cabinet members also participated along with industry moguls. Rouhani suggested that to mutually enjoy the conditions provided by JCPOA implementation, both sides should work to meet banking and insurance requirements as a platform to revive the bilateral trade. “Public and private sectors in Iran welcome cooperation; the government has worked to meet the requirements for providing enough security for economic activity along with incentive packages in the Five Year Development Plan which will accelerate the movement toward economic boom,” he told the meeting. “With an 8-per cent target growth rate provisioned for in the Plan, we need to attract huge investments and cutting-edge technology of the day from our European partners, which we welcome to Iran.”
“Until recent years, Iran had good economic ties with France, and recent month exchanges of delegations have contributed to general mode between two countries for a breakthrough in trade; economic sectors such as energy, oil and gas, petrochemical industry, agriculture, modern technology, automaking industry, mines, telecommunications and IT, and renewal of Iran’s rail and air routes are fields of mutual cooperation,” Rouhani told the meeting.
“We have in the future horizon working out of Iran to a tourist magnet in the region and France would cement its role with participating in science, regional and political cooperation, and development of Iran’s ports and harbors,” he suggested. “In telecommunication no barrier would keep the crossroads for both nations from reaching new territories in national interests of both countries.”
“Paris-Tehran ties will damage no other party, but will bring economic reshuffle to the region instead; I am resolve enough to say that investment in Iran would provide security and a fair level of benefits for investors; today, the conditions could not have been better for boosting mutual ties, where however, we should take well-calculated steps,” Rouhani asserted.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was the first cabinet member to address the economic meeting who welcomed Rouhani’s visit to Paris; “today, we are in the beginning of a new chapter in historical mutual relations. Iran is a great country with bright horizons and French companies and industries are of strong resolve to work with Iran,” added Mr. Fabius, who closed his brief remarks.
Emmanuel Macron, French Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs for his part welcomed President Rouhani and his delegation; “France has made a general call for all economic firms and industries for cooperation with Iran to redeem its former rigor and dynamism in trade with Iran,” he added. “A decade ago, working in Iranian setting was among the first ten priorities in insurance coverage by French government and today we are resolved to explore all investment venues to boost bilateral relations.”
“All great companies active in economic infrastructure, airport, railroad, and energy sectors welcome participation in Iran’s strategic and regional markets,” Mr. Macron told the meeting, where the heads of Total, Airbus, Orange, Peugeot Citroen, and other great industries were attending.
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