PHOTO: Germany’s Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel with Chancellor Angela Merkel


LEADER


Five days after a historic nuclear deal, Iran’s officials and State media are claiming a major German campaign for trade and investment in Tehran.

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel arrived in the Iranian capital on Sunday, heading a delegation of representatives from companies, industry groups and the sciences”.

Gabriel, who is also Energy Minister and deputy leader to Chancellor Angela Merkel, aid in a statement that the nuclear agreement had laid the groundwork for “normalizing economic ties with Iran”. His three-day trip will include talks with President Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh.

Accompanying Gabriel, the head of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Eric Schweitzer, called for German companies to be given legal protection for investments. He said bilateral trade could quadruple within three years to around 10 billion euros (about $10.8 billion).

Deputy Oil Minister Hossein Esmaeili said “ten companies, which are among the biggest German companies, along with tens of smaller ones” are represented in the German delegation. Among them are Linde, Siemens, Mercedes, BASF, Volkswagen Group, and GIZ.

Heralding Gabriel’s visit, the deputy head of Iran’s Central Insurance Authority said firms from Germany and France have already applied for cooperation with the Iranian insurance industry.

Iran’s oil exports were crippled in July 2012, falling to half of their pre-sanctions level, when the European Union banned companies from providing insurance for Iranian tankers.

“Sanctions imposed by the [5+1 Powers] had made it impossible for European firms to provide Iran with insurance and reinsurance services, but the JCPOA will do away with those restrictions,” Mina Sediq Nouhi said.


Journalist Bastani Released After 6 Years in Prison

Journalist Masoud Bastani has been released from prison after completion of a six-year sentence.

Bastani was a prominent reporter for several for several reformist publications. He was arrested weeks after the disputed 2009 Presidential election when he went to the Revoutionary Courts to ask why his wife, fellow reporter Mahsa Amrabadi, had been detained.

Amrabadi was subsequently given a one-year sentence.