This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/the-latest-peugeot-citroen-iran-khodro-in-joint-venture/2016/01/28/2d0e6d06-c5a4-11e5-b933-31c93021392a_story.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| The Latest: Femen protest during Rouhani visit | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — The Latest on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Europe (all times local): | PARIS — The Latest on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Europe (all times local): |
| 11:20 a.m. | |
| A near-naked woman hanging from a noose-like rope from a Paris bridge has sent a message to visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. | |
| “Welcome Rouhani, Executioner of Freedom,” read a huge banner across the pedestrian bridge over the Seine River near the Eiffel Tower. The protest Thursday by feminist group Femen is calling attention to the large number of executions in Iran. | |
| Iran is one of the world’s largest users of the death penalty, ranking second behind China in 2014, according to Amnesty International. Most Iranian executions are linked to drug smuggling. | |
| Sarah Constantin, the activist who hung from the bridge, said they organized the “public hanging” to call attention to those executed for political reasons and put pressure on French President Francois Hollande to bring up human rights in his meeting with Rouhani. | |
| ___ | |
| 11:05 a.m. | 11:05 a.m. |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country is “favorable terrain” for resumed trade between East and West, as he and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls pledged to turn the page on past tensions. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country is “favorable terrain” for resumed trade between East and West, as he and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls pledged to turn the page on past tensions. |
| Rouhani is reaching out to European businesses on the first visit by an Iranian president to Europe since 1999. | Rouhani is reaching out to European businesses on the first visit by an Iranian president to Europe since 1999. |
| Rouhani, speaking to French executives Thursday, urged efforts to unblock financing for resumed trade now that sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program have been lifted. Continued U.S. bank restrictions against Iran are a hurdle to many European countries seeking renewed commerce. | Rouhani, speaking to French executives Thursday, urged efforts to unblock financing for resumed trade now that sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program have been lifted. Continued U.S. bank restrictions against Iran are a hurdle to many European countries seeking renewed commerce. |
| Rouhani praised France and said he wants to use the positive atmosphere after a landmark nuclear accord to boost ties. | Rouhani praised France and said he wants to use the positive atmosphere after a landmark nuclear accord to boost ties. |
| Valls said the countries should forget past rancor. “France is available for Iran,” he said. “Iran can count on France.” | Valls said the countries should forget past rancor. “France is available for Iran,” he said. “Iran can count on France.” |
| ___ | ___ |
| 10:30 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. |
| France’s Peugeot-Citroen has announced a joint venture with automaker Iran Khodro to make 200,000 cars a year outside Tehran, as both countries seek to boost trade after the lifting of Western sanctions. | France’s Peugeot-Citroen has announced a joint venture with automaker Iran Khodro to make 200,000 cars a year outside Tehran, as both countries seek to boost trade after the lifting of Western sanctions. |
| Carlos Tavares, chairman of the PSA Peugeot-Citroen managing board, announced the deal Thursday during a visit to France by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. | Carlos Tavares, chairman of the PSA Peugeot-Citroen managing board, announced the deal Thursday during a visit to France by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. |
| It will be a 50-50 joint venture, aiming to produce three new models of cars starting late next year. | It will be a 50-50 joint venture, aiming to produce three new models of cars starting late next year. |
| Peugeot was a major player in Iran’s car market before the sanctions were imposed, and the company said negotiations for this deal have been under way since before the sanctions were lifted. | Peugeot was a major player in Iran’s car market before the sanctions were imposed, and the company said negotiations for this deal have been under way since before the sanctions were lifted. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is being formally welcomed to France at the gold-domed Invalides monument where Napoleon is buried. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is being formally welcomed to France at the gold-domed Invalides monument where Napoleon is buried. |
| While Rouhani arrived in Paris on Wednesday from Rome, the official French government greeting ceremony is being held Thursday morning. | While Rouhani arrived in Paris on Wednesday from Rome, the official French government greeting ceremony is being held Thursday morning. |
| Rouhani is also meeting Thursday with the chief of UNESCO, the Paris-based U.N. cultural body, and speaking to high-level French executives whose companies are interested in resuming trade with his long-isolated nation of 80 million people. | Rouhani is also meeting Thursday with the chief of UNESCO, the Paris-based U.N. cultural body, and speaking to high-level French executives whose companies are interested in resuming trade with his long-isolated nation of 80 million people. |
| Later he and French President Francois Hollande will oversee a ceremony for signing about 20 bilateral accords. | Later he and French President Francois Hollande will oversee a ceremony for signing about 20 bilateral accords. |
| The trip is an effort to usher in a new era after a landmark accord to curb Iran’s nuclear program and lift Western sanctions. However, France is now weighing new sanctions over Iranian ballistic missile tests. | The trip is an effort to usher in a new era after a landmark accord to curb Iran’s nuclear program and lift Western sanctions. However, France is now weighing new sanctions over Iranian ballistic missile tests. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |