Lose-Lose Sanctions Era Is Gone, Iran’s President Tells France

Anti-Iran sanctions were the result of a wrong policy that brought about a lose-lose period in Tehran-Paris relations, President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech in Paris on Thursday, before French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, and the country’s main pro-business confederation, Medef.

He underlined that the gathering was a manifestation of the serious resolve of both sides’ state-run and private sectors to broaden economic cooperation.  
 
“Today marks the beginning of a new era in relations between Iran, as a stable and mighty country in the (Middle East) region, and France, as a major power in Europe and the world,” the president stated.

As regards the features that make Iran a suitable trade partner, President Rouhani touched on the Islamic Republic’s record of good cooperation with France, its stabilized position in the region, abundance of educated workforce and energy resources, Iran’s links with the regional countries, its need for investment in energy, industry, agriculture and transportation, as well as clear regulations for foreign investment.

For his part, Valls noted that France itself bore the brunt of sanctions against Iran.

He said the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is going to open a new chapter in Iran-France relations, voicing his country’s willingness to cooperate with Iran in all fields.

Medef’s president, Pierre Gattaz, also said French businesses have been impressed by the quality of the relations with their Iranian interlocutors. “This new era is already underway. The Iranian door has always been open to French companies.”

Since his arrival in Paris on Wednesday afternoon, President Rouhani has held a series of closed-doors meetings in his hotel. He was accompanied at Medef by a large number of his cabinet members.

President Rouhani is due to meet the French president, François Hollande, at the Elysée palace later on Thursday.