ROME Iran and Italy here Tuesday stressed further promotion of Tehran-Rome trade cooperation with respect to the existing potentials and capabilities. The visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and Italian Minister of Foreign Trade Piero Fassino in their talks also discussed ways to boost economic and commercial relations. Fassino who is the co-chairman of the Iran-Italy joint commission voiced his country's resolve to upgrade trade relations between the two countries adding that any obstacle preventing promotion of these ties should be removed.

Fassino termed the visits to Tehran of former Italian Prime Minister Romani Prodi, Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini and former foreign trade minister as important in encouraging Italian companies to cooperate with Iran. He also referred to the visit to Tehran of presidents of 120 Italian companies to inspect the Tehran International Trade Fair and strike cooperation agreements as a sign of Italian trade and industrial sectors' desire to boost cooperation with Iran. Kharrazi described the political resolve in Iran and Italy as an important factor in upgrading mutual cooperation.

He also referred to the potentials existing in the two countries for industrial cooperation as another ground for promotion of bilateral ties. The two sides also discussed an increase in number of permits granted to Iranian trucks and in weekly flights between Rome and Tehran. (IRNA)