Peugeot-Citroen, Iran Khodro in joint venture

After years of tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Europe is ushering in a new era of relations with the once-pariah state, welcoming Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Italy and France with high expectations that he can set in motion lucrative business deals and regional peacemaking.

Supporters of Maryam Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, demonstrate against the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. Iran maintained those programs were peaceful but critics feared it wanted to build nuclear weapons. A diplomat in Paris, however, who spoke on condition of anonymity, quoted the Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius as saying that the European Union was examining the option of imposing new sanctions on Iran, though he would not say which of the 28 governments had taken the initiative.

“France has announced that it is ready to once again enter Iran with a new energy and a new will. We have also come here today to welcome French entrepreneurs, investors to begin economic activities in Iran”, Rouhani told the business leaders. He declined to say which nation initiated the process.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says freedom of expression doesn’t extend to insulting other people’s faith.

About 20 agreements will be signed after a meeting between Rouhani and President Francois Hollande. “France is available for Iran”, he said.

France, which has deep ties with Arab countries and has sought to improve ties with Israel, is conducting a balancing act in the region.

Summary⎙ Print At a press conference in Italy, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani addressed the controversy over two nude statues covered in boxes.

Rouhani also visited the Vatican for the first time and met Pope Francis, who has urged Iran to work for peace in the Middle East.

Contracts worth at least €3bn (£2.3bn) are expected to be signed during the 24-hour visit.

“We (everyone) can lower our pretensions”, as each side did in the nuclear talks, he said. He was not authorized to speak publicly about the visit and asked to remain anonymous.

Politicians on the Left and Right said not only had Renzi made nearly no reference to Iran’s human rights record during a joint news conference, but had also “surrendered” Italy’s cultural identity by hiding the nude statues of women.

Both countries clearly are opting for pragmatism.

Rouhani’s European tour, his first since the lifting of sanctions under the nuclear deal, promises to open up billions of dollars in business deals, including a major order for Airbus aircraft.

Also on the stage at Medef was Mohsen Jalalpour, the head of Iran’s chamber of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture.

“Total has been very present in Iran, very loyal to Iran”.

The Italian government has not commented on the matter.

“I am sure this visit will be a fundamental part of our ability to overcome together the challenge of fighting terrorism, atrocity and evil that we all have to confront together”, Mr. Renzi added, referring specifically to IS militants, who oppose Iran and the West equally.

Rouhani continues on to France on Wednesday, where a similar scandal already played out in the French capital in anticipation of his November visit that ultimately was canceled because of the Paris attacks.