Roundup: Rouhani says Iran, Germany should seize time to boost ties

Iran and Germany could make use of opportunities after the nuclear deal to enhance bilateral relations in myriad of sectors, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said here on Wednesday.

Iran has signed accords with a number of countries for strategic cooperation, in the same way Iran and Germany, as traditional economic partners, should develop plans for long-term cooperation and come up with the roadmap for their economic ties, Rouhani said in a meeting with the visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Industry, mines, energy, railroad and tourism are among the areas in which Tehran and Berlin can promote cooperation, according to the Iranian president.

Steinmeier said Berlin is determined to develop ties with Tehran in all areas, particularly in political, economic and cultural fields, referring his second travel to Tehran during the past three months as an indication of Germany's willingness to promote all-out ties with Iran.

Exchange of delegation between the two countries in recent months can open ways to joint investment, as most of the companies in Germany are keen to enter Iran's market making investments.

Steinmeier, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for key political and economic talks with senior Iranian officials.

On Tuesday, Steinmeier met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and discussed the latest regional and international developments.

At a joint press, Zarif said that his talks with Steinmeier involved a range of issues, including the expansion of Tehran-Berlin political and economic relations, the threat posed by terrorism and extremism, and the problems in Syria and Afghanistan, according to Tasnim news agency.

Following the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers last month, a new chapter has been opened in relations between Iran and European Union member states, including Germany, Steinmeier said.

As the major objective of his trip to Tehran, the German foreign minister is seeking to discuss an all-out cooperation roadmap between Germany and the Islamic republic following the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers last month.

The United States and the European Union have lifted nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions on Iran recently, a critical move to help restore Iran's economic ties with the rest of the world.

On Wednesday, the vice president of Germany's Siemens company, Siegfried Russwurm, said following the nuclear deal and removal of sanctions against Tehran, legal barriers on delivery of oil industry equipment to Iran have been lifted.

"Siemens can now deliver the equipment to Iran," Russwurm told Iran's Petro-Energy Information Network during a visit to Iran's Oil Ministry.

He welcomed what he called the determination of the Iranian government to boost development of its infrastructure, saying that German firms are preparing to cooperate in this regard.

"We are active in railways, fast transportation, energy mechanism, and energy distribution in the oil and gas industry, which provides opportunities for cooperation in a variety of issues," Russwurm was quoted as saying.

The ongoing visit by the German foreign minister to Tehran comes in the wake of interests of European countries to expand economic ties with Iran.

Last week, Rouhani also made a visit to Italy and France and signed deals worth billions of U.S. dollars, including four commercial agreements between Iranian companies and Italian steel firm Danieli worth at least four billion dollars, and a four-billion-dollar contract with infrastructure development firm Condotte.

At a gathering of main companies from the two countries in late January, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced a joint venture between leading French car maker PSA and Iran's Khodro to produce 400,000 vehicles annually by 2020.

Iran also inked a deal with French Airbus to buy 118 Airbus aircraft. Endit