Iran, Germany to boost trade ties once sanctions lifted: Envoy

Iran's ambassador to Berlin says Germany will become a trustworthy trade and political partner for Iran once anti-Iran sanctions are lifted following a final nuclear deal.

Ali Majedi was quoted by Iranian media as saying on Wednesday that although sanctions, which were imposed on Iran over the country’s civilian nuclear program, have caused “gaps in relations between Iran and Germany,” the removal of sanctions will certainly bridge those gaps and make Germany a trustworthy partner for Iran.

Sanctions were imposed on Iran by the US and EU at the beginning of 2012 with Western countries alleging that Iran's nuclear program was diverted toward military purposes; an allegation Iran categorically denied.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran and the P5+1 group – the US, the UK, Germany, France, China, and Russia – reached the conclusion of negotiations over Tehran’s civilian nuclear program, with the Islamic Republic and the sextet sealing an agreement.

Based on the agreement, the world powers have recognized Iran’s civilian nuclear program, including the country’s right to the complete nuclear fuel cycle. Iran and the six powers also agreed that all economic and financial sanctions against Iran will be removed through a Security Council resolution. In addition, all bans on Iran’s Central Bank, shipping, oil industry, and many other companies will be lifted and billions of Iran’s blocked revenues will be unfrozen.

Iran's ambassador to Berlin said a visit to Germany by Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh in early May was a good starting point for the resumption of economic cooperation between the two sides.

Zanganeh took part in the third annual Energy Security Summit in Berlin, on the sidelines of which he discussed investments by German companies in Iran’s oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

Majedi noted that before the imposition of sanction on Iran, Germany was the Islamic Republic’s second largest trade partner.

He expressed hope that exchange of reciprocal visits by the two countries’ officials would be a turning point in relations between Iran and Germany.

Majedi’s remarks came after Iran's deputy oil minister for commerce and international affairs, Amir-Hossein Zamaninia, announced that Germany’s Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel will arrive in Tehran at the head of a 60-strong political and trade delegation on Sunday for a two-day visit to the Islamic Republic.

According to IRNA, the German delegates are scheduled to meet and confer with Iran's Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh; governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Valiollah Seif; Minister of Energy Hamid Chitchian, and members of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines to discuss bilateral cooperation in post-sanctions era.

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