Post-sanctions Iran ripe for investment
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates– The nuclear deal is done. Now it’s time to talk business.
While it will likely be months before sanctions on Iran ease, business and political leaders are wasting no time in trying to tap into a large and what they hope will be a lucrative Iranian market.
Germany is dispatching a large trade delegation to Tehran on Sunday. Spain has a similar trip planned, and France’s top diplomat is eyeing a visit, too. Ads for European cars and luxury goods are starting to reappear in Tehran. Airlines in Dubai are fast adding new Iran routes to meet growing demand.
American firms, though, have to be much more cautious. Deal or no deal, U.S. sanctions not related to the nuclear program will still be in place and bar most American companies from doing business with Iran.
That means they stand to lose out to European and Asian companies – some that still have business contacts in the country from before sanctions were tightened in recent years.
Deal or no deal, Iran calls U.S. ‘arrogant’
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday a landmark nuclear deal won’t change his country’s policy toward the “arrogant” U.S., making his first public speech since the Islamic Republic’s historic pact with world powers.
Khamenei said a more wide-ranging agreement with America is unlikely, striking a different pose than moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who earlier said the Vienna accord could “step-by-step remove bricks from the wall of mistrust” between Iran and the U.S.
However, the ayatollah’s remarks also praised the Iranian negotiators who struck the deal. That likely means he won’t offer a major criticism of the deal as Iran’s parliament and its Supreme National Security Council, the nation’s highest security decision-making body, consider the agreement in the coming days.
Associated Press
