IRIA News

Berlin is determined to reinvigorate ties with Tehran in all political, economic, cultural and educational areas: German FM

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier hailed nuclear Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a new window to Tehran-Berlin ties, saying that Iran and Germany are deeply interested in expansion of closer bilateral relations.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the latest official to visit Tehran since the implementation of a landmark nuclear deal.

The German FM Steinmeier said “Berlin is determined to reinvigorate ties with Tehran in all political, economic, cultural and educational areas.” He pointed out his two visits to Tehran over the past three months deeming it as a sign of his country’s willingness towards comprehensive development of cooperation with Iran; “majority of large German firms are eager to take part in Iran’s market for investment as well as joint collaboration.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani emphasized the need to planning a long-term cooperation between Tehran and Berlin asserting “Iran has followed a common strategy on the path of signing and implementing cooperation agreements also having reached a deal on long-term road-map for collaboration with a number of other countries.”

Iranian President maintained that Iran is ready for joint cooperation in various sectors including industry, mining, energy, rail road transit as well as tourism in which Germans can have a more prominent participation.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier for the second time in three months and discussed key regional issues during a press conference held on Tuesday.

Expressing willingness for broader cooperation in numerous fields, Zarif and Frank-Walter Steinmeier stressed the need for finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Zarif said he will attend Syria Donors Conference, scheduled for February 4 in London, which is sponsored by UK, Germany, Norway, Kuwait and UN to raise money for displaced Syrians and refugees.

Steinmeier’s visit comes after a landmark deal between Tehran and world powers to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in return for lifting international sanctions. Germany has its eyes on boosting trade and investment with Iran following the lifting of sanctions, according to DW news.

The German Chamber of Commerce hopes to quadruple exports to Iran to top 10 billion euros in four years time.

FM #Steinmeier in #Iran: ImplementationDay shows that diplomacy+international negotiations can solve vital problems pic.twitter.com/zR9jnkSRFl

— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) February 2, 2016

German FM invites Iran’s Rouhani to Germany

Frank-Walter Steinmeier also met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during his visit.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday that he had told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani he was welcome to visit Germany the next time he comes to Europe.

Speaking after meeting Rouhani in Tehran, Steinmeier said he had urged him “to keep Germany in mind as a destination on his next trip to Europe.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) meets German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) in Tehran, Iran, February 3, 2016. Photo: REUTERS

Beginning of a new era for Iran as sanctions lifted

Iran’s economic isolation era ended when world powers lifted the crippling sanctions against the Islamic Republic last month in return for Tehran complying with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Steinmeier’s visit came as European companies and bank want to seize new trading opportunities after the lifting of sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program.

For decades before sanctions were imposed, Germany was Iran’s biggest trading partner. The gap in Iranian imports from Germany and other Western countries has largely been filled by Chinese, Korean and Middle Eastern competitors.

The International Monetary Fund expects Iran’s economy to expand 4.3 percent this year, with growth at or above 4 percent in the next two years. It also sees Iran’s imports expanding 18 percent this year, 14 percent next year and 7 percent the year after.

Iran to dispatch commercial attachés to Germany, France by March 2016

Iran is planning to dispatch commercial attachés to Germany and France by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 19, 2016), ISNA news agency quoted Reza Abbasqoli, an official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) as saying on Tuesday. Currently Italy is the only country in Europe that Iran has a commercial attaché in.