Russian envoy: Foreign firms fighting for presence in Iran’s market

Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian said foreign firm and international enterprises have swarmed Iran to win contracts with Tehran following the successful implementation of the Geneva nuclear deal. “Given the positive changes which have taken place about Iran, the Russian companies like other international firms are more active in relations with Iran,” Jagarian said in an interview with the Russian daily Kommersant on Monday. He said that even those companies which had helped the western countries in imposing unilateral sanctions against Tehran are now striving to return to Iran’s promising market. Jagarian also said that the Russian oil companies’ activities in Iran and Moscow’s opportunity to buy Iranian crude have raised the US and other countries’ serious concern. Asked if Russia should bear in mind the US concerns about the possible Iranian oil deal with Russian companies, the ambassador said, "Russia is an independent country, which is conducting an independent policy." "As I have said before, Russia denies recognition of the unilateral sanctions of the US and the EU against Iran. Certainly, we listen to what they tell us, but we will make decisions exclusively on the basis of our own national interests. I have said that more than once to my Western colleagues, who are asking this question," Jagarian said. Not only Russian companies but also their rivals from other countries, among them Western, have demonstrated activity on the Iranian track, he emphasized. "Indeed, everyone but the lazy has visited Iran. It is a step by step transformation into "a politico-economic Courchevel". Anyone is visiting here, even big businessmen from the countries that have imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran and are criticizing it for various courses of action," the ambassador said. European companies are making increasing demands for cooperation with Iran after Tehran and the world powers struck a deal in November which removes sanctions against the country. Many European countries, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, are planning to enhance their economic relations with Iran, a business powerhouse in the Middle East region, as sanctions imposed against Tehran are partially suspended, AP reported last month. "Optimism is predominating that there has finally been something of a relaxation in political relations and therefore in business possibilities," Head of Trade Relations at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce Volker Treier said. On January 20, Iran and the six powers started the implementation of the historic nuclear deal which the two sides struck in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013. After endorsing the agreement with the world powers, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the six world powers have recognized Iran’s enrichment program. As part of the deal, in exchange for Iran’s confidence-building bid to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the six world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran.