Addressing a gathering of major German and European business owners and banking officials in Munich on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Zarif pointed to the nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), and explained about the opportunities and challenges that exist in the path to boost the two sides’ economic cooperation.
He voiced Iran’s readiness to promote trade ties with the European Union (EU) after the block removed its sanctions on the country earlier in January.
The Iranian top diplomat further made it clear that the Islamic Republic will never be a consumer market for European products.
Tehran and the Group 5+1 on July 14, 2015 reached a conclusion over the text of a comprehensive 159-page deal on Tehran's nuclear program and implemented it on January 16.
The comprehensive nuclear deal, known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), terminated all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran.
Zarif arrived in Munich on Thursday along with his Deputy for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian to attend a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and the Munich Security Conference (MSC).
The ISSG meeting, which aimed to help find a political solution to nearly five years of conflict in Syria, was held on Thursday in Bavaria, Germany, in the run-up to the MSC.