However, Iran is said to be keen to bring its fleet of mid- and long-haul aircraft up to date, so the deal is widely expected to go ahead soon, giving a huge boost to the European aviation industry at a time of global economic downturn.
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When asked by Iranian reporters how he views future ties with Europe, Rouhani said, “Not only will the relationship return to what it used to be, it will be better”.
Supporters of Maryam Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, demonstrate against the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.
Referring to the instability in some regional countries such as Lebanon, he called for an expedited agreement among Lebanese groups over the country’s presidency and said: “Any of such new cases needs only a political solution, not a military one”.
Companies that are developing self-driving cars of the future want government regulators to clear the road for public access to the technology, once it emerges from current prototype testing.
Some of the marble statues that were covered up with wooden panels on the occasion of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit are seen at the Capitoline Museums, in Rome, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016.
A banner was also hung across the bridge saying “Welcome Rouhani, Executioner of Freedom”.
Topless feminists from Femen planned their own special welcome for Iranian president Hassan Rouhani on Thursday by staging a mock hanging from a Paris bridge in protest over the country’s human rights abuses.
Iran is a prolific user of capital punishment, ranked second behind China in 2014 according to Amnesty International.
At a press conference rounding off his Rome visit, Rouhani was defiant when asked whether Iran would apologize to Saudi Arabia for an attack on its embassy by demonstrators furious over Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr. The officials, who were briefed on the issue, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly. Iran maintained those programs were peaceful but critics feared it wanted to build nuclear weapons.
Although many sanctions relating to Iran’s nuclear program have been lifted, most US measures remain in place.
Mr Rouhani’s five-day visit to Italy and France is the first by an Iranian president in almost two decades.
Also referring the valuable role of the two countries’ legislative bodies to reinforce the two governments, he said:”Iranian government supports reinforcement and expansion of cooperation between the two parliaments, as well”.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is being formally welcomed to France at the gold-domed Invalides monument where Napoleon is buried.
PSA Peugeot Citroen announced a joint venture with Iran Khodro to produce latest-generation vehicles in Tehran by the end of 2017.
French and Iranian companies signed a series of agreements Thursday in the sectors of air and maritime transport, airports, health and agriculture.
According to Columbia’s Nephew, “Rouhani’s trip this week to Italy, his trip to France, is all part of the strategy to get Iran out of global isolation”.
The final segment of the trip will consist of an overseeing ceremony conducted by the Iranian President and French President Francois Hollande.
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Mr Rouhani, speaking to French executives on Thursday, urged efforts to unblock financing for resumed trade now that sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme have been lifted.
