Italian FM to meet with Rice on Afghanistan, Iran
Washington, 25 July (IranVNC)—Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini will travel to Washington on 29 July to hold talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Iran’s nuclear program, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Lebanon and Afghanistan.
By: IranVNC
Published: Friday, July 25, 2008
17:03GMT—1:03PM/EST
IRAN – ITALY – US – SANCTIONS
Washington, 25 July (IranVNC)—Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini will travel to Washington on 29 July to hold talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Iran’s nuclear program, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Lebanon and Afghanistan.
Italian Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta told the Washington Times that Frattini and Rice will discuss Italy’s role in Afghanistan, where restrictions on combat operations for 2,600 Italian troops have recently been lifted.
Italy is currently in command of NATO troops fighting the Taliban in central Afghanistan. It is also the leading European trading partner with Iran—a relationship the Islamic Republic is anxious to keep intact.
According to the Tehran-based English language PressTV, Iran’s Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki denounced the US attempts to pressure the Italian government to suspend its business dealings with Iran.
The US Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Stuart Levy, recently travelled to Rome to attempt to persuade the Italian central bank to cut ties with Iran.
An Italian official said Italy plans to further develop its financial ties with Iran, reports PressTV.
Sources: Washington Times, Press TV
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