Rouhani: The EU is ready to expand ties with Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the EU is ready to expand ties with Iran, especially in light of the circumstances that followed Tehran’s nuclear deal with the P5+1.

During a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö was held in Tehran yesterday, the Iranian Press TV channel quoted Rouhani as saying that the European side is ready to expand economic, scientific and technological relations with Iran, after Tehran signed a nuclear programme agreement with the global powers.

Rouhani added that the economic relations with Finland have been affected by the sanctions imposed on Iran before the nuclear deal. The Finnish president’s visit to Tehran represents a new beginning for strong mutual relations between the two countries.

He explained that during the visit, they agreed on expanding banking relations between the two countries as well as facilitating direct flights between Tehran and Helsinki, and the establishment of a railway line linking the two countries via the Baku and Moscow.

For his part, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto praised the existing cooperation between the two countries, adding that Iran was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of Finland.

Niinisto said that his country intends to strengthen cooperation with Iran, pointing out that a large delegation of businessmen has accompanied him during his visit to discuss ways of cooperation with the Iranian side.

Over the past few days, the two sides signed four memorandums of understanding in the areas of energy, communications, technology, environment and investment.