Former German Chancellor Begins Meetings with Iranian Officials

Gerhard Schröder, the former Chancellor of Germany, has begun meetings with senior Iranian officials during his visit to Tehran. According to reports, trade issues and tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia are the main topics of Mr. Schröder's discussions. Among those who met with Mr. Schröder were Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister. His trip to Tehran comes as it is expected that the nuclear agreement between Iran and the six world powers will soon reach the implementation stage and sanctions against the Islamic Republic will be lifted. According to an official statement released in Iran, Schröder expressed hope for the future of Iran-Germany relations during his meeting with Zarif, stating that German companies and traders are ready to participate in all economic sectors of Iran. He also emphasized Iran's role in 'resolving regional crises.' Following his meeting with the former German Chancellor, Iran's Foreign Minister stated, 'With the finalization of the JCPOA, Iran will enter a new phase of relations with Germany, and the implementation of the JCPOA will have numerous results in changing regional equations towards peace and development.' Mr. Zarif, in another part of his remarks, once again accused Riyadh of being a source of thought and financial support for extremist groups, accusations that Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries in the region make against Iran regarding armed Shiite groups. According to the German embassy in Tehran, the former German Chancellor is scheduled to meet with President Hassan Rouhani and Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, Iran's Minister of Oil, on Tuesday. Germany was part of the group known as the 5+1 that concluded nuclear negotiations with Iran on July 14. The parties agreed on a plan for joint action to limit nuclear activities on one side and lift sanctions on the other. Germany was also the first country to send a high-level economic delegation to Iran following that agreement, led by Sigmar Gabriel, the Minister of Economy and Deputy to Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. The French news agency notes Iran's population of 78 million and its educated workforce, stating that considering its total oil and gas reserves, the country is the largest energy source in the world.