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Iranian president told 'you can count on us' as he drums up business with France Iranian president told 'you can count on us' as he drums up business with France
(about 3 hours later)
Iran’s president has urged French business leaders to leave behind a period of “lose-lose” sanctions as he sought to reintroduce his country to France two weeks after implementation of a landmark nuclear deal with the west.Iran’s president has urged French business leaders to leave behind a period of “lose-lose” sanctions as he sought to reintroduce his country to France two weeks after implementation of a landmark nuclear deal with the west.
In a major speech in Paris before the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, and the country’s main pro-business confederation, Medef, Hassan Rouhani said the first official visit by an Iranian president in 17 years was a clear sign that French companies were welcome to Tehran. In a speech attended by the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, at a meeting of the pro-business confederation Medef in Paris, Hassan Rouhani said the first official visit to France by an Iranian president in 17 years was a clear sign that French companies were welcome to Tehran.
“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. “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. Valls replied that Iran could count on France.
Related: Trade talks and nostalgia as Hassan Rouhani returns to FranceRelated: Trade talks and nostalgia as Hassan Rouhani returns to France
Valls replied that Iran could count on France. Rouhani is due to meet the French president, François Hollande, at the Elysée palace later on Thursday. Rouhani then met the French president, François Hollande, at the Elysée palace. The two are due to give a press conference later in the day.
Since his arrival in Paris on Wednesday afternoon, 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, including the oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh. Since his arrival in Paris on Wednesday afternoon, Rouhani has held a series of closed-doors meetings in the hotel where he is staying. He was accompanied at the Medef gathering by a large number of his cabinet members, including the oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh.
News of Iran purchasing 114 planes from Airbus has dominated the agenda but French companies including the construction firm Vinci, the car manufacturer Peugeot, SNCF and the energy company IFP are also in talks.News of Iran purchasing 114 planes from Airbus has dominated the agenda but French companies including the construction firm Vinci, the car manufacturer Peugeot, SNCF and the energy company IFP are also in talks.
Contracts worth at least €3bn (£2.3bn) are expected to be signed during the 24-hour visit. Iran’s economy, including its oil sector, is still heavily publicly owned.Contracts worth at least €3bn (£2.3bn) are expected to be signed during the 24-hour visit. Iran’s economy, including its oil sector, is still heavily publicly owned.
Valls said the French government was encouraging the business sector to take up opportunities in Iran. “We can open a new chapter,” he said, addressing Rouhani. “France is ready to mobilise its business sector ... for modernisation of your country.” Valls said the French government was encouraging the business sector to take up opportunities in Iran. “We can open a new chapter,” he said at Medef, addressing Rouhani. “France is ready to mobilise its business sector … for modernisation of your country.”
Rouhani said the lifting of sanctions with the implementation of the nuclear deal two weeks ago had paved the way for an improvement in economic ties. “What we experienced under sanctions was a lose-lose situation that was the result of a wrong policy, a wrong policy that hurt everyone ... but today we should seize the opportunity of the era after sanctions,” Rouhani said. Rouhani said the lifting of sanctions with the implementation of the nuclear deal two weeks ago had paved the way for an improvement in economic ties.
“France doesn’t need any permission from any other country [to enter business with Iran] and it’s not receiving orders from above and that’s very important for us.” “What we experienced under sanctions was a lose-lose situation that was the result of a wrong policy, a wrong policy that hurt everyone … but today we should seize the opportunity of the era after sanctions,” he said. “France doesn’t need any permission from any other country [to enter business with Iran] and it’s not receiving orders from above and that’s very important for us.”
Medef’s president, Pierre Gattaz, 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.” Medef’s president, Pierre Gattaz, said French businesses had been impressed by the quality of the relations with their Iranian interlocutors. “This new era is already under way. The Iranian door has always been open to French companies.”
Also on the stage at Medef was Mohsen Jalalpour, the head of Iran’s chamber of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture. In an interview with the Guardian on Wednesday, Jalalpour, who represents Iran’s private sector, said Rouhani’s administration has prioritised his sector. Jalalpour’s high-profile role in the Iranian delegation also signalled the government’s new strategy in promoting the Iranian private sector. Also on the stage at Medef was Mohsen Jalalpour, the head of Iran’s chamber of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture. In an interview with the Guardian on Wednesday, Jalalpour said Rouhani’s administration had prioritised the private sector.
“Sanctions were a bitter experience for Iran,” he told the Guardian. “The lesson was that we can’t only rely on having relations with half of the world and not care about the other half.” “Sanctions were a bitter experience for Iran,” he told the Guardian. “The lesson was that we can’t only rely on having relations with half of the world and not care about the other half. For over eight decades, Iran has been heavily dependent on oil and the government has played a big role in the economy but this administration is pursuing a new approach.”
“For over eight decades, Iran has been heavily dependent on oil and the government has played a big role in the economy but this administration is pursuing a new approach,” he said. Alstom, the French electricity generation and rail transport firm, is seeking contracts to work on an expansion of the metro in Tehran and to build two more lines in the city of Mashhad and participate in the electrification of the 600-mile Tehran-Mashhad railway. The French industrial group Bouygues and Aéroports de Paris are in talks with Iran to construct the country’s largest transport project, the second terminal at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini international airport.
Alstom, the French electricity generation and rail transport firm, is seeking contracts to work on expansion of the metro in Tehran and build two more lines in the city of Mashhad and participate in the electrification of the 600-mile Tehran-Mashhad railway. The French industrial group Bouygues and Aéroports de Paris are in talks with Iran to construct the country’s largest transport project, the second terminal at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini international airport. “Alstom is mobilised to participate in the development of transport infrastructure in Iran thanks to our long successful history with this country and its new focus on railway activities,” Philippe Delleur, senior vice-president at Alstom, told the Guardian. “It covers both urban transport and mainlines.”
“Alstom is mobilised to participate in the development of transport infrastructure in Iran thanks to our long successful history with this country and its new focus on railway activities,” Philippe Delleur, senior vice-president at Alstom, told the Guardian. “ It covers both urban transport and mainlines.” Alisher Ali, chairman of Silk Road Finance, an investment group focused on Iran and Eurasian countries, said: “President Rouhani’s visit to Europe and signing numerous multibillion-euro deals with leading European companies was a strong testimony to Iran’s keen desire to boost its economy with massive modernisation and technological upgrade of its key industries including oil and gas, transportation and infrastructure.”
Alisher Ali, chairman of Silk Road Finance, an investment group focused on Iran and Eurasian countries, said: “President Rouhani’s visit to Europe and signing numerous multi-billion-euro deals with leading European companies was a strong testimony to Iran’s keen desire to boost its economy with massive modernisation and technological upgrade of its key industries including oil and gas, transportation and infrastructure.”
He added: “I believe Iran with its huge pent-up demand and investment requirements represents a unique growth opportunity for many European and international companies. I reckon there will be a wave of European companies actively entering the Iranian market starting from this year.”He added: “I believe Iran with its huge pent-up demand and investment requirements represents a unique growth opportunity for many European and international companies. I reckon there will be a wave of European companies actively entering the Iranian market starting from this year.”