Iran’s President to Start European Visits Monday


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will leave the capital of Tehran on Monday to pay official visits to Italy, the Vatican, and France at the head of a high-ranking delegation.

Italy is President Rouhani’s first European destination, where he is slated to meet his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and other high-ranking officials.

He is also planned to meet a number of Italian investors and major industrialists during his trip to Rome, which will be made at the invitation of the Italian president and premier.

Rouhani will then visit the Vatican City and meet with Pope Francis as well as President of the Holy See Giuseppe Bertello.

The Iranian chief executive will then head for the French capital of Paris on Wednesday, January 27.

There, he will meet with his French counterpart Francois Hollande as well as Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova.

Meetings with French investors, economic managers, and major industrialists are also on Rouhani’s agenda.

Bilateral and multilateral meetings, interviews with senior editors of European (French and Italian) media, and meetings with elites and thinkers are among the Iranian president’s other plans during his 4-day trip.

A number of Iranian ministers and officials will accompany President Rouhani in his trip. They are scheduled to sign several documents with their Italian and French counterparts on mutual cooperation in different fields.

The Iranian president will return to the country on Thursday, January 28.

Rouhani was scheduled to visit the European destinations on November 14, but the trip was cancelled following a spate of deadly terror attacks in Paris.