Iranian president formally welcomed to France

“We don’t see any obstacles for companies who would want to come and invest in Iran”, Rouhani told a French business delegation.

Iran has always insisted that its nuclear program was purely for peaceful purposes, despite suspicions in the West and Israel that Tehran was seeking to build an atomic bomb.

While those sanctions were lifted earlier this month, Iran’s latest ballistic missile tests prompted new USA sanctions. The two officials spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

France is the second and final stop on Rouhani’s four-day trip to Europe on a mission to bolster European investment in the Islamic Republic after years of global penalties have throttled the Iranian economy.

Offense, annoyance, and accusations of “cultural submission” rippled across Italy after naked Roman statues were covered up during a state visit to the Capitoline Museums by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Meanwhile, the prime minister’s office announced later on Wednesday that it has opened an internal investigation to ascertain responsibilities in the organization of the Rouhani visit to the Capitoline Museums.

Later Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande will oversee a ceremony for signing about 20 bilateral accords.

PARIS (AP) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is being formally welcomed to France at the gold-domed Invalides monument where Napoleon is buried.

Iran urgently needs modern, safer and less-polluting airliners after decades of being unable to obtain spare parts or new models due to sanctions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, walks past a Swiss guard, …

France, which has deep ties with Arab countries, also conducts a balancing act in the region.

The 41-year-old Renzi met with similar criticism last year when he covered up nude pictures in the renaissance town hall of Florence, the city where he used to be mayor, on the occasion of a visit by the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates. Opponents to the Iranian government will protest across Paris on Thursday.

At a press conference rounding off his Rome visit, Rouhani was defiant when asked whether Iran would apologize to Saudi Arabia for an attack on its embassy by demonstrators furious over Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr.

Later, after accompanying Mr Rouhani on a visit to Rome’s ancient Colosseum monument, Mr Franceschini said that neither he nor Italy’s Premier Matteo Renzi had been informed of the decision to cover up the nudes.

Three members of an armed group occupying an OR wildlife refuge surrendered to authorities, officials said, hours after their jailed leader urged remaining militants to abandon the site and “go home”. “In telecommunication no barrier would keep the crossroads for both nations from reaching new territories in national interests of both countries”. Carmakers Peugeot (PEUP.PA) and Renault (RENA.PA) may also agree contracts.

In Italy, the government and private companies inked more than a dozen accords with Iran covering the metals industry, oil services, rail transport and shipbuilding.

France showed its eagerness to take up where it left off in Iran as soon as the July nuclear deal was signed. Rouhani then hosted leaders of France’s business community in his Paris hotel.

The visit was originally scheduled to take place after the November 13 jihadist attacks on Paris, but was postponed.