TEHRAN, Jul. 23 (MNA) – Italian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran Mauro CONCIATORI said that Italy is after safeguarding and maintaining economic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran in sanctions period.

He pointed to the economicand business activities between the two countries and put the trade volume exchange between Iran and Italy in the past year (ended March 20, 2018) at more than $5 billion.

Turning to the consequences of unilateral withdrawal of US from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he said, “effective strategies should be taken in this regard with the aim of boosting and developing bilateral cooperation in all fields especially in economic sector.”

US President Trump pulled US out of JCPOA on May 8, 2018 and issued the reinstatement of sanctions on Iran in two 90- and 180-day periods.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he placed special emphasis on the necessity of holding ‘powerful technical talks’ on a series of agreements inked between the two countries that can help strengthen economic cooperation effectively.

The ambassador put the volume of oil and gas condensates purchased by Italy from Iran in the past year (ended March 20, 2018) at about €3 billion.

With regard to JCPOA deal, he said that Italy is holding intensive talks with some European and Iranian officials for supporting this international deal overwhelmingly.

Italian ambassador to Tehran pointed to the necessity of activation of privately-funded Italian firms in cooperation with their Iranian counterparts and said, “private Italian companies have been reactivated for broadening their economic and business ties with Iran in post-sanctions era.”

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