French Foreign Minister invites Iranian President to visit.

(Baonghean.vn) - During the first visit to Iran in 12 years by a French foreign minister, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabiusconveyed the message from President Francois Hollande.Inviting Iranian President Hassan RouhaniHe will visit France next November, Iran's ISNA news agency reported.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius delivered the opening remarks at a formal ministerial meeting to prepare for the COP21 summit in Paris on July 20. Photo: Reuters.

The most recent Iranian president to make a state visit to France was Mohammad Khatami in 1999, when Jacques Chirac was president.

Fabius met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and also met with Rouhani during his brief one-day visit, two weeks after the historic agreement under which Western sanctions were lifted in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear program.

Zarif stated in a televised press conference: "We have begun good discussions aimed at moving toward regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism."

Contrary to his hardline stance in nuclear negotiations, according to Iran's state news agency IRIB, Fabius said that France wants to strengthen good relations with Iran. He also added that a high-level French economic and trade delegation will visit Iran in September.

France hopes to reach business deals with Iran once international sanctions are lifted, and Fabius stated last week that his tough stance in nuclear negotiations would not hinder French business opportunities.

Some hardline Iranians want to block French business deals due to Paris's stance in recent negotiations and France's close ties with Gulf Arab governments currently embroiled in regional power struggles with Tehran.

Social media photos showed protests against Fabius at Tehran's Mehrabad airport, and leaflets depicting a blood-soaked red carpet accompanied by the promise: "We will not forget or forgive."

According to the IRNA news agency, Fabius also met with Iranian Industry Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency Masoumeh Ebtekar. He said he would discuss political issues as well as business opportunities during the visit, and had previously stated that he looked forward to discussions “in all areas.”

The IRIB news agency quoted the foreign minister as saying: "As major powers, Iran and France both have a duty to promote peace and stability in the region."

Phu Binh

(According to Reuters)