Italy's Intent to Return to Pre-Sanction Economic Relations with Iran

Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian Foreign Minister, will visit Tehran at the head of a trade-economic delegation for two days starting from Tuesday, August 4. In an interview with Iranian news agencies before his trip, he responded to the question of whether Italy, which was the first trading partner of Iran in the European Union before the sanctions, can regain its previous position, stating: "Our goal is to return to the economic position we had before the sanctions." He added, "I am confident that we have advantages that will help us in this regard, such as the long-standing economic and cultural relations and the friendship between our nations." According to IRNA, Federica Guidi, the Italian Minister of Economic Development, will accompany Mr. Gentiloni on this trip. During the Italian delegation's visit to Tehran, representatives from major Italian companies, including Ansaldo, Finmeccanica (Italian defense industries), Anas (Italy's highway company), and ABI (the Italian Banking Association), will be present. As reported by ISNA, the Italian Foreign Minister will meet with several high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and his counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. Paolo Gentiloni emphasized Italy's intention to return to its pre-sanction economic position, stating: "Italy has certainly suffered in terms of economic relations with Iran during the sanctions. However, the agreement reached in Vienna gives us the opportunity to gradually restore economic relations." Referring to the nuclear agreement in Vienna between Iran and Western powers, he expressed hope that this agreement would allow them to continuously enhance their relations with Iran for stability in the region from the Middle East to the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. The upcoming visit of the Italian delegation to Tehran marks the third visit of Italian diplomatic officials to Iran in less than a year and a half. In December 2013, after ten years, Emma Bonino became the first Italian Foreign Minister to visit Iran following Hassan Rouhani's election as President. Gentiloni's first visit to Iran took place in February 2015, shortly before the end of the interim nuclear agreement. The news of the new Italian delegation's visit comes after a large German trade delegation led by Sigmar Gabriel, the country's Minister of Economy, visited Tehran on Sunday, July 19, just five days after the announcement of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1. The achievement of a nuclear agreement between Iran and Western powers has led to increased contact between Western officials and Iran. In this context, Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian Foreign Minister, has announced that the President of Austria will visit Tehran in September. Additionally, Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, recently visited Tehran, and a senior French diplomat stated that a French business delegation comprising representatives from about 80 companies will visit Tehran in September. According to IRNA, during the two years of the eleventh government, various trade and economic delegations from Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Turkey, and Belgium have visited Iran. IRIB also reports that a business delegation from India, including representatives from ten major industrial companies, recently met with Iranian private sector activists at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture.