Iran welcomes foreign investment: Mottaki

Paris, June 21, IRNA - Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran welcomes foreign investment in various projects.

In an interview with French daily 'Le Figaro', he said the Islamic
Republic of Iran believes that establishment of an international free
zone in the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf would be a good
initiative.

He added that Tehran would consider any proposal by European companies
to make investment in that project.

Since Iran welcomes foreign investment in the country, it would
seriously study requests of the European companies for investing in
that project, the foreign minister told the French daily.

Iran welcomes and encourages privatization, he said, adding that
presence of several Iranian private companies at the stock exchange
and the number of tenders participated by foreign companies in
different sectors indicate the potentials of the Iranian economy.

Chabahar and Kish islands have been announced as free trade zones in
the past few years, he said stressing that these zones provide foreign
investors with the best possible facilities.

Mottaki expressed the hope that making investment in Iran would be on
economic basis away from any political considerations.

He said that Iran is the most economical route for piping gas from
Central Asia to Europe.