Iranian officials and media have hailed the trip of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to Iran as a new era in economic and diplomatic cooperation between Iran and Europe. However, despite the positive reception and billions in economic agreements signed, there are still people in the country who feel visits by European leaders have failed to produce tangible benefits.
Renzi, who traveled to Tehran with a delegation of 60 business leaders, said, “The end of sanctions is a historical step not just for Iran but for the entire region.” Iran and Italy signed seven agreements of cooperation in the fields of tourism, gas, oil and railways. When President Hassan Rouhani visited Italy in January, 30 agreements were signed between the two countries. During their meeting in Tehran, Rouhani said that the expansion of ties between Italy and Iran is the first step toward better ties between Iran and the European Union.
