29 July 2015 - 15:14
  • News ID: 244772

French FM Meets with Iran Petroleum Minister

French FM Meets with Iran Petroleum Minister

TEHRAN July 29 (Shana)--The French Foreign Minister, in Tehran for holding talks with Iranian top officials, is in a meeting with Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for a one-day visit at the invitation of his Iranian opposite number Mohammad Javad Zarif. 

Fabius' visit comes following the EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini's one-day Iran visit earlier this week. The visit was aimed at discussing implementation of the outcome of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 countries to resolve a dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program and the lifting of all sanctions against the Islamic Republic. 

Also earlier in July, a 60-member business delegation from Germany visited Tehran earlier in July to explore avenues for boosting economic ties with Iran. 

Earlier in the day, he held talks with Zarif and then attended a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart.

Fabius’ visit to Iran is the first by a French foreign minister to the Islamic Republic in 12 years, reported PressTV.

Fabius’ visit to Iran has raised some criticisms in Iran, especially over France’s hard line towards Iran in the course of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Days before the conclusion of the talks on July 14, Fabius urged other negotiators to take a tough stance on Iran, insisting that Paris will not sign off on a deal if Tehran rules out inspections of its military sites as part of the final agreement.

Fabius is also under fire for his role in the export of HIV-contaminated blood products to a number of countries, including Iran, in the 1980s, when he was in office as France’s prime minister.

Tehran-Paris economic ties dramatically fell following the EU sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program in 2012. 

The French automaker, Peugeot, was lured into leaving Iran by General Motors with promises of a share in its market which the Detroit-based company didn’t live up to. The French automaker slammed the door in the face of Iran Khodro, its second biggest market by volume, after 23 years of partnership.

Another French giant, Renault, has $562 million of funds stuck in Iranian banks under the sanctions. The company is reported to be weighing purchase of stakes or manufacturing plants in Iran.     
News ID 244772

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