Germany Has Its Preconditions to Restore Relations with Iran

• 07.21.2015, 14:25
•  Europe,  Region,  World

After signing the nuclear agreement with Iran, West is moving towards restoring its relations with the Islamic Republic. Western media reports that Germany is taking first steps to resume once close trading ties with Tehran. Germany’s Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel accompanied by a business delegation visited Iran for the first time during the last 15 years. He is the first top official to visit Iran after the nuclear deal was reached.

Two sides have agreed on the organization of the first joint economic forum. At the same time Germany’s Economy Minister made clear to the Iranian authorities that closer economic ties with Iran depend on improving relations with Israel, stressing that Berlin cannot accept the fact that Iran is questioning Israel’s right to exist.

"With the recent nuclear agreement and the future events, new issues will be raised for Iran and we have developed the basis to produce security in the Middle East, and I believe it is for the benefit of Iran as well. Developing security in the region and the security of the state of Israel is of significant importance to us," Sigmar Gabriel said, Eunonews reports.

Speaking purely about business, Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said: "We hope to move fast after the sanctions are removed and it seems like the German companies and state have political determination to help Iran put the era of depression behind it, we have never had tense relations with Germany".

In his turn Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani during the meeting with Germany’s Economy Minister said that closer relations between Iran and Germany can help to build a bridge between Europe and the whole Middle East, IRNA  reports. Rouhani said he hopes Germany will play a positive role also in improving relations between Iran and the EU.

Analysts say German delegation’s visit to Iran is a huge signal for Iran that Germany wants to quickly restore its economic and political relations with the Islamic Republic, Reuters writes. German industry groups have said exports from Europe's largest economy to Iran could as much as quadruple in the next few years due to the nuclear deal. Germany was once Iran's leading supplier from outside the region but in 2007 it lost that position to China.