Swedish banks, industries ready to develop ties with Iran

Representatives of Swedish banks and industries in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Economy Minister Shapour Mohammadi underlined their preparedness to rapidly expand relations with Tehran. “The Swedish industry has been cooperating with Iran’s financial and private sectors for years and given the breakthrough which has recently happened in the relations with Iran, there is now a possibility for returning (to the Iranian market) and developing relations with Iran again,” the head of the Swedish delegation said in the meeting in Tehran on Monday. He described Iran as one of the most reliable economic partners, and said the few trade problems between the two countries were the result of the western sanctions which can now be obviated by the gradual removal of embargos. The Swedish delegation also invited Mohammadi to visit Stockholm, and expressed the hope that Sweden would host an Iranian delegation in the near future. The trade and industry delegation from Sweden arrived in Iran yesterday and has had a series of meetings with Iran's state and private sector officials, specially with those in the economic sector. After Iran and the six world powers signed a deal in Geneva in November numerous political, parliamentary, economic and trade delegations from various EU states have visited Iran. But observers believe that the visit by the Swidish delegation which is the first since Tehran and the West took practical steps on Monday to start implementing the November deal, including the partial removal of the Western sanctions on Iranian economy, heralds imminent expansion of financial, trade and banking cooperation between the two states. In relevant remarks in December, Chairman of the International Council of Swedish Industry Erik Belfrage underlined his country’s readiness to boost economic and trade cooperation with Iran. During a meeting with Iranian Deputy Economy Minister Behrouz Alishiri in Tehran, Belfrage stressed Iran’s huge economic capacity, and expressed the hope that the council would be able to strengthen Swedish companies’ presence in the Iranian projects. Commenting on Geneva nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, he said that if the positive trend of the agreement continues, major Swedish companies will make investment in Iran. Also in December, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt underlined that the time has now arrived for the removal of the US-led EU sanctions against Iran. “There is no reason that the European Union should not annul some parts of the sanctions it has imposed against Iran,” Bildt said.