Major-League Spanish Delegation in Tehran

A high-ranking 70-member Spanish delegation arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a three-day visit aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation in various fields.

Several Spanish Cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Industry, Energy and Tourism Minister Jose Manuel Soria and Development Minister Ana Pastor, as well as representatives of various Spanish companies are part of the delegation.

Representatives of Spanish companies active in the fields of oil, gas, petrochemicals, railroads, airports, power plants, heavy industries, electronics, tourism and pharmaceuticals are accompanying the delegation, hoping to grab deals in Iran after the sanctions imposed against the country by the West over its nuclear energy program are lifted. Among them are representatives of Repsol, Spain’s largest oil company.

Parallel with the official meetings, representatives and managers of Spanish companies are also planning to attend business conferences and hold meetings with their Iranian counterparts.

Iran, Spain to boost political cooperation

Iran and Spain will discuss various grounds for political cooperation, Iran ’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a joint press conference with his visiting Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo on Monday  in Tehran.

There are a wide-range of topics for political negotiations, Zarif said, adding Tehran and Madrid share topics which both sides agree on, as well as areas with disputes.

“We agreed to negotiate about human rights and the refugees issues.”

The Iranian foreign minister further said that the two parties have discussed regional issues including crisis in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the situation in Afghanistan.

“We also discussed fighting against terrorism,” Zarif said, adding as a member of the UN security council Spain can play a constructive role in settling the Syria and Libya crises.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meets with his Spanish counterpart Manuel Garcia-Margallo in Tehran on Monday

The Spanish FM, for his part, said that along with discussing the issue of boosting mutual relations, discussing the regional issues including the refugees’ crisis is among his Tehran visit agenda.

Garcia-Margallo underlined that the refugees’ issue has became an important regional and global problem, expressing hope that Tehran and Madrid would take steps on the issue.

The Spanish top diplomat underlined that the Syrian crisis should be settled in a peaceful way as soon as possible.

He further touched upon mutual ties, saying the Iranian and Spanish foreign ministry will sign a document on political cooperation. Tehran and Madrid will study all grounds for mutual cooperation, the Spanish top diplomat stressed.

Spain as the fourth economic power of the EU can be a good trade partner for Iran, Garcia-Margallo said, adding Tehran and Madrid can take big steps in the region via economic cooperation.

Spain used to import some 14 percent of its energy from Tehran in the pre-sanctions period, he said, emphasizing that his trip will open a new chapter for new round of cooperation.

He referred to energy, railroads and transportation sector as Spain’s priorities in cooperation with Iran.

Iran and Spain agree to deliver gas to Europe

Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh and visiting Spanish Industry, Energy and Tourism Minister Jose Manuel Soria met on Monday discussing increasing cooperation in the field of oil and energy.

“Iran hopes to bring its gas to the European Union by shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Spain”, Zangeneh was quoted as saying at a news conference with his Spanish counterpart in Tehran.

“Talks between Iran and Spain on this topic will continue,” Zanganeh said.

“Iran is fully ready to export 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil to Spain” He added.

“Before imposing sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic used to export 200,000 bpd of oil to Spain.”

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