French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is the most high-profile foreign official to visit Iran after the July 14 comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1). Iranian media and officials largely welcomed his visit, which was panned by conservative media because of his role in an HIV blood scandal dating back to the 1980s. Many seem to hope that his visit signals to the world that Iran is open for business after years of economic and diplomatic isolation.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed Fabius in the Foreign Ministry building. Other than a 2003 trilateral meeting, this is the first time a French foreign minister has visited Iran in 17 years, Zarif said in a joint press conference. Zarif said despite "ups and downs in relations in last few years, we are hopeful that from now on we move in a stronger and more serious direction in relations." Zarif added that a French economic delegation will travel to Tehran later this summer.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the Fabius visit was an invite to France from French President Francois Hollande to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The last time an Iranian president traveled to France on a state visit was under Reformist President Mohammad Khatami in 1999, who was invited and greeted by then-President Jacques Chirac. 

In the meeting with Fabius, Rouhani said, "Tehran-Paris relations after the [1979] revolution has had ups and downs, but we want to look toward the future." He added, "The two countries have had a history of good political and economic cooperation — an example of that is the presence and investment of French companies in Iranian oil and gas industries."