Iran: why President Rouhani is in Rome and Paris

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Iran: why President Rouhani is in Rome and Paris



- Iran is talking business
- First trip to West since nuclear deal implemented
- Rouhani will meet Italian President, Prime Minister and the Pope.

ROME: -- All the pomp and ceremony of the Italian state has been rolled out to welcome the Iranian President to Rome.

This is the first stop for Hassan Rouhani on a five-day European trip which, it is hoped, will end in the signing of several major business deals.

Rouhani is expected to sign trade agreements with Italian firms worth a potential 16.6 billion euros.

He is also scheduled to have a meeting with the Pope. The situation of Christians in the Middle East is likely to be discussed, as well as human rights.

The Vatican also strongly opposes executions, which have increased in frequency since Rouhani took office.

He will also have meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Rome has traditionally had close economic ties with Tehran.

The Italian credit agency Sace has predicted Italian exports to Iran might rise by as much as three billion euros between 2015 and 2018.

Exports last year topped 1.56 billion euros.

Paris

Rouhani is understood to want to finalise a deal to buy 114 aircraft from European planemaker Airbus.

Companies like oil giant Total and car manufacturer Peugeot are also said to be interested.

What they are saying

“This is a very important visit. It is time to turn the page between our countries in different areas.” – Iranian official.

“Trust needs to be built. It is like love. It is only the proof of love that counts.” – senior French diplomat.

“A definitive step toward a more secure and fraternal world” – Pope Francis

“European countries are rushing head-first to get into Tehran, but they are bargaining with human rights for short-term commercial and economic interests.” – Tahar Boumedra, former UN Human Rights official.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-26

[hawker9000]

Why do johns prowl redlight districts? Thanks to Obama, he's got loads of cash burning holes in his pockets: he's like a sailor suddenly on liberty after six months at sea (except it's more like years in this case...) with all those unspent paychecks...

And the hookers are just as glad to see him as he is to see them! (I don't think most hookers would actually care that much that the john in question was sponsoring terrorism or had been and might even still secretly be building nuclear hombs...). One lire or one franc or one rial or one petrodollar; it's all good.

I wonder how you say "what happens in <. > stays in <. >". in farsi ... And I hope Rouhani remembers to toast his paymaster back on Pennsylvania Ave.

[Chicog]

Why do johns prowl redlight districts? Thanks to Obama, he's got loads of cash burning holes in his pockets: he's like a sailor suddenly on liberty after six months at sea (except it's more like years in this case...) with all those unspent paychecks...

And the hookers are just as glad to see him as he is to see them! (I don't think most hookers would actually care that much that the john in question was sponsoring terrorism or had been and might even still secretly be building nuclear hombs...). One lire or one franc or one rial or one petrodollar; it's all good.

I wonder how you say "what happens in <. > stays in <. >". in farsi ... And I hope Rouhani remembers to toast his paymaster back on Pennsylvania Ave.

I think you'll find it's the P5+1 not Obama, and he is no paymaster, it is their money.

My guess is that Rouhani's in Rome and Paris to seal deals with Eni and Total to rebuild Iran's petrochemical infrastructure.

Billions of dollars of business that might have gone to the US but for the open and irrational hostility displayed by the right.

Ah yes, the "job creators".