EU-Iran Forum
Europe-Iran Forum is a series of events originally hosted by the Development Institute Paris, BHB Emissary and European Voice magazine in 2014. The event's main goal is to act as a non-partisan meeting ground for European and Iranian businesses to discuss future cooperation post sanctions.
The event notes that it is not in direct contact with Iranian business, in accordance with the US' Office of Foreign Asset Control regulations regarding doing business with the Islamic Republic.
Following the historic Joint-Action Plan agreement reached by Iran and the Group 5+1 in November 2013, a series of economic sanctions were lifted, rekindling commercial interest in Iran throughout Europe.[1]
The event, a first of its kind to offer Iran as a potential investment destination garnered attention in the press including the BBC. The EU-Iran forum is the first event created by the private sector to have the moral support from the government of President Hassan Rouhani[2]
Scheduled speakers included Martin Sorrell, chief executive of advertising group WPP, as well as Jack Straw and Hubert Vedrine, former British and French foreign ministers respectively. The Forum also has the blessing of Rouhani, whose chief of staff has written a letter of support to the organisers, media company European Voice.
Notable Speakers
- Jack Straw Former Labour Party British Foreign Secretary
- Sir Martin Sorrell CEO of advertising agency WPP plc
- Arash Vafadari CEO of public relations agency Mana Payam
- Rouzbeh Pirouz Founder of the Iranian Business School
- Neda Amidi associate of the Plug & Play Tech Center in California
Criticism
The event has come under heavy pressure from supporters of Israel for its pro-Iran stance. Israeli newspapers in 2014 slammed the event calling it a "travesty of the gravest proportions.[3]
The Gatestone Interview reviewed the first event stating "The Europe-Iran Forum marks Iran's preparations for a nuclear-capable Iran in a comfortable post-sanctions world, for which the regime is advocating in spite of its continued sponsorship of terror abroad and the oppression of its citizens at home."[4]
References
- ↑ . IRNA http://www.irna.ir/en/News/2771192/. Retrieved 17 April 2015. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ BBC. "Iran Forum Raises Eyebrows".
- ↑ "Times of Israel". Retrieved 14 April 2015.
- ↑ Westrop, Samuel. "UK: Iran Lobbies against Sanctions". Gatestone Institute. Retrieved 17 April 2015.