Iran coming back to global markets during past 4 years

Finnish ambassador to Tehran describes the July 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a historic agreement which was an important turning point in the international diplomacy, AVA Diplomatic reports.

Harri Kämäräinen said Iran managed to open a new chapter in the economic and political relations, and has returned to the global markets.

Asked about his idea about Iran’s foreign policy in the past four years (during President Hassan Rouhani’s tenure) and Iran-Finland relations in this era, Kämäräinen said that the past four years have marked a new opening in the Finnish-Iranian relations.

“The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of July 2015 was a historic agreement and an important milestone in international diplomacy.

“We congratulate Iran and E3+3 -countries for taking that decisive step. Subsequently, the nuclear agreement has provided new opportunities in our bilateral relations and business cooperation,” the Finnish ambassador noted.

Referring to travel of Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, then Erkki Tuomioja, to Iran prior to the Agreement, in August 2014, the ambassador said the trip “opened a new chapter in our political relations.

“Likewise, a new page in our trade and business relations was opened by the visit of Finland´s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Lenita Toivakka, in December 2015.”

As he said, Ms Toivakka brought along a delegation of nearly 100 prominent Finnish business representatives to Iran.

“During the past four years, we have taken steps forward in broadening our relations and have made many high level visits,” Kämäräinen said.

He then described the official visit to Iran of the President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and his spouse, Ms. Jenni Haukio, in October as “manifestation of our good relations on the highest political level.”

He went on to say that Finland has also hosted a number of important visits from Iran.

Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, visited Helsinki in May 2015 with a delegation of 60 Iranian companies, he said, adding Vice President, Madame Ebtekar, Minister of Health, Dr. Hashemi and Minister of ICT, Mahmoud Vaezi have also visited Finland during the past two years, to name just but a few.

These visits, as he said, have enhanced bilateral trade and economic relations.

In the year 2015, the value of trade between Finland and Iran grew by more than 106 %, the ambassador announced, adding that last year, “We witnessed a similar growth – by 96 %.”

Even though the volumes are still rather low, the trend is clear, he stressed.

“Years ago, Iran used to be an important trading partner for Finland.

“Today we see that a number of Finnish companies have already returned to the Iranian market – many of them being global leaders in their specific sectors,” he said.

As Iran is now reforming its economy and developing new commercial ties globally, it is gradually gaining back its former position also among Finland’s trading partners, Kämäräinen noted, adding, “We are happy to welcome Iran back to the global market.

“We have also seen a similar development in Iran’s relations with the European Union.

Finland strongly supports this development.”

As the dialogue between EU and Iran is broadening and deepening, “We hope that in the near future we will also see the opening of a European Union Embassy in Tehran,” the Finnish ambassador concluded.