Renzi meets Rouhani, Khamenei in Iran

(ANSA) - Tehran, April 12 - Premier Matteo Renzi arrived in the Iranian capital on Tuesday for the first day of a two-day visit aimed at reinforcing economic and political ties between the two countries.
    His agenda includes a bilateral meeting and lunch with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and afternoon meetings with the chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council Hashemi Rafsanjani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Wednesday Renzi is scheduled to sign a series of agreements and memoranda following a business forum at the chamber of commerce in Tehran, to be attended by the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
    His visit comes on the heels of Rouhani's historic visit to Italy in January following the lifting of sanctions related to last year's historic nuclear deal.
    An Italian delegation of 197 enterprises led by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Graziano Delrio and Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina also travelled to the majority Shia Muslim country in February. Italy is at the head of the line of countries now clamouring to do business with Iran, which aims to attract between 30 and 50 billion dollars of foreign investment each year, according to SACE sources. Following the lifting of sanctions early this year Italian exports to Iran could increase by nearly three billion euros over the next four years. Over and above international mirth over the decision to cover nude statues for Rouhani at the Campidoglio in Rome his January visit reportedly went in this direction, resulting in major contracts and bilateral agreements particullarly in the minerals, energy and infrastructure sectors as well as a joint commitment to fighting Islamic State. In addition to oil and gas, Italian companies are also looking to branch out into the transport sector (trains, aeroplanes and cars, given the need to renew a very old car fleet of 14 million vehicles). Adequate housing will also be needed to accommodate a marked growth in population - there are currently 77 million Iranians but the number is expected to rise to 100 million by 2050 - with significant room for development forecast in the construction materials and machinery sectors. Meanwhile the government has recently approved a bill ratifying a double-taxation agreement and anti-evasion measures between Italy and Iran.