TEHRAN (Iran News) He stated that based on the latest statistics, the trade value between Iran and Germany during the first ten months of 2024 (January to October) reached $1.24 billion. This figure represents a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. During this time, Iran’s imports from Germany grew by 7% annually, while Iran’s exports to Germany declined by 9% annually. The trade balance favors Germany, with Iran’s imports from Germany significantly surpassing its exports.

Asghari noted that although Iran has strong potential to supply raw materials for German industries, it has yet to fully utilize this capacity. Iran predominantly imports industrial machinery and chemicals from Germany, while exporting mainly food products and livestock to Germany.

Reflecting on the trade history between the two countries, Asghari remarked that 50 years ago, when the Iran-Germany Chamber of Commerce was established, Iran was the second-largest market for German exports after the United States. Even after the revolution, Germany maintained its trade relations with Iran, historically leading European trade with Iran. Over the past century, Iran and Germany have shared strong cultural and commercial ties, with Iran being well-known to German industrialists and traders. Iran’s industrial sector has developed with German machinery. However, in recent years, bilateral relations have somewhat weakened.

Despite this, Asghari emphasized that trade between Iran and Germany continues. Iran’s exports to Germany consist of non-sanctioned goods. German companies willing to continue trading under sanction conditions are typically small and medium-sized enterprises with limited business ties to the U.S.

He added that Iranian carpets and handicrafts once enjoyed significant popularity in Germany, with Iranian carpets regarded as luxury items. German households once took pride in owning them. However, this market has shrunk, with Indian and Turkish producers now dominating the German carpet market. Similarly, products like pistachios, dates, walnuts, and saffron are common in Germany, yet Iran’s market share for these items is declining. For instance, Afghanistan is increasingly capturing the global saffron market from Iran.

Asghari attributed the weakening Iran-Germany trade to various internal and external factors. He explained that this challenge extends beyond Iran-Germany trade. For example, in Iraq—a major destination for Iranian exports—non-Iranian traders sell goods on one-year letters of credit (LC), while Iranian traders must operate on a cash basis. This preference for LC over cash among Iraqi buyers reduces Iranian traders’ competitiveness. Additionally, Iranian traders bear extra costs for currency exchange at money changers.

Similar challenges persist in Iran’s trade with European countries. Asghari stressed that failure or unwillingness to comply with international trade regulations results in Iran losing its global market share.

He also highlighted domestic issues, particularly regulations concerning foreign exchange commitments, which burden exporters. Unlike other countries, Iran mandates the repatriation of export earnings, even though significant discrepancies exist between official and open market exchange rates.

Asghari pointed out that the establishment of a regulated foreign exchange market could alleviate some trade challenges. He argued that narrowing the gap between open market and official exchange rates is essential. The regulated market aligns with the single exchange rate policy, and multiple exchange rates encourage rent-seeking behaviors among importers who overstate imports.

In conclusion, Asghari stated that it remains to be seen how effectively this market can implement the single exchange rate policy. If the regulated market becomes another version of the NIMA system, it may fail to fulfill its intended purpose.

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Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani referred to the statements of some German officials, including Baerbock, in inciting riots in Iran, describing such irresponsible positions as contrary to the rules and principles of international law and inconsistent with the tradition of relations between the two countries.

In remarks on October 26, Baerbock claimed, “The human rights situation in Iran is deteriorating day by day, with the security forces taking increasingly brutal action against the women and men on the streets, who are demanding nothing more than their universal human rights. Over 13,000 people are said to have been detained and over 250 shot or beaten to death. The systematic oppression of women and ethnic, religious and sexual minorities in Iran is nothing new, but it is currently reaching unprecedented levels.”

The Iranian deputy foreign minister deemed these remarks as unacceptable.

Emphasizing Iran’s commitment to observing human rights, including the right to peaceful gathering and demonstrations, the deputy foreign minister said the illegal intervention of some Western countries turned peaceful protests to riots.

Violence and law-breaking actions that disturb public order and security of citizens are in contrast with peaceful demonstrations, he added.

“Unfortunately, some European countries, contrary to their international commitments in fighting terrorism and fighting hatred, have become safe havens for terrorist groups and media that are systematically producing violent content and teaching riotous actions,” Bagheri Kani lamented.

Referring to the inhumane consequences of the brutal unilateral sanctions on Iran, the deputy foreign minister said the perpetrators are considered the violators of the rights of the Iranian nation.

Bagheri also referred to the terrorist the Wednesday attack by Takfiri operatives on pilgrims in the Shah-e-Cheragh shrine in Shiraz, saying such terrorist actions are in line with the violent and anarchic movements that, unfortunately, some European and American countries have supported and promoted.

At the end of the meeting, the deputy foreign minister emphasized that Iran, based on political rationality and relying on the principles of honor, wisdom and expediency, values relations based on respect and mutual benefits with other countries, but it won’t tolerate interference in its internal affairs and support for violent and terrorist movements.

In response, the German ambassador stated that he will convey the opinions of the Iranian side to the relevant authorities in Berlin.

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As an introduction, Stefan Weber, director of the Museum for Islamic Art, will speak about one work from the Heech series, which has been on view at the museum since July 26, 2020, the organizers said.

In addition, Tandis Tanavoli, a film producer and the daughter of the artist, and Gisela Fock, who did her doctorate on Parviz Tanavoli and has been studying Iranian modernism for 25 years, will attend the session, which will be held in the English language from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

It will be open to the general public on Webex Webinars through the link https://spk-berlin.webex.com/spk-berlin/onstage/g.php?MTID=e7c556401527d2dd09f9b49996e01bd9e.

The Museum of Islamic Art is located in the Pergamon Museum and is part of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.

“Parviz Tanavoli is one of Iran’s most outstanding living artists, whose work now spans over six decades,” the museum said in a statement for the session.

“Venturing the popular aesthetics in his native country, he bridged European style modernism, U.S. Pop art, and many more inspirations into a uniquely modern as well as recognizably Iranian art form.

“Heech, regarded by some as his most outstanding series, iconizes an elegantly curved nastaliq script in three dimensions.

“Since 1964, the Farsi word that translates as ‘nil’ forms one of Tanavoli’s central preoccupations, and he has used it in artwork from painting to sculpture, and as an almost hidden inclusion within other works or on a grand scale as stand-alone script statues.”

Tanavoli is a founding member of the Saqqakhaneh School, the first modern art movement in Iran. His practice incorporates modernist aesthetics with traditional motifs including handicrafts and Persian literature.

Tanavoli has showcased his artworks at major art centers across the world, including the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tate Modern in London, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, British Museum in London, Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Venice Biennale.

Numerous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, British Museum, Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art in Vienna, are displaying his work in their collections.

Photo: A sculpture from Parviz Tanavoli’s Heech series on display at the Museum for Islamic Art in Berlin.

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In the webinar which was held in collaboration between Iran’s Embassy in Berlin and Germany’s NUMOV (German Near and Middle East Association), Iran’s Ambassador to Berlin Mr. Mahmoud Farazmand, the CEO of NUMOV Ms. Helene Rang, Head of Iran Trade Promotion Organization Mr. Alireza Peyman Pak and Head of International Affairs of Iran Chamber of Commerce Mr. Mohammad Reza Karbasi exchanged views on boosting trade between the two states.

In the meeting it was decided the talks between Iranian and German parties to continue in the form of specialized workgroups.

Addressing the webinar, Karbasi said that since the past, Germany has had developmental view towards Iran, stipulating that development of many infrastructures in Iran like railway, Esfahan Steel Company, rolling and power plants has been carried out in cooperation with German companies. He added that of course trade relation needs banking relations, adding that as trade without logistical facilities is unsustainable, it is also impossible without banking relation.

He emphasized creating infrastructure for sustainable trade, noting that the ground for sustainable trade between the countries is provided only by the joint investment. He added that it will not materialize except in the framework of trade of good, and creation of required grounds for trade and investment needs understanding and dialogue between the countries.

Karbasi said it was expected Germany to have more effective steps in supporting activities of the private sectors of the two states  after the U.S. exit from the JCPOA. He went on to say that although Iran and Germany’s trade relation grew by 60 percent after the JCPOA, in the recent two years it has nose-dived beyond expectations.

He then pointed to the capabilities of Iranian knowledge-based companies and their high rankings in the world and said German private sector should have a long-term approach and should not look at Iran’s market as only a consumer market but as a competitive and multilateral one.

Then CEO of NUMOV Ms. Rang, for her part, said this association helps German companies for developing market in the Near and Middle East countries and it has cooperated with Iran’s industry ministry in the past. She added that despite challenges, the association has always had amicable relations with Iran and today the trade volume of the two states is 1.54b euros.

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The talks, to be held under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), are scheduled to start in the German capital at around 02:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) on Sunday.

Libya Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Khalifa Haftar, the commander of rebel militia groups, are also expected to attend the peace summit.

The conference is aimed at ending the armed fighting between the government and Haftar’s rebel forces. It will also discuss the interference of foreign powers in the Libyan conflict through the provision of weapons, troops, and financing.

“All foreign interference can provide some aspirin effect in the short term, but Libya needs all foreign interference to stop. That’s one of the objectives of this conference,” Ghassan Salame, the UN’s special envoy for Libya, told AFP on the eve of the meeting.

Draft communiqué calls for a commitment to non-interference, peace

In a draft communiqué seen by AFP ahead of the summit, the UN has expressed hope that all sides would sign up to a plan to refrain from interference and commit to a truce that would lead to a lasting end to hostilities.

The document calls on all parties to recommit to a UN arms embargo on Libya and raises the prospect of intra-Libyan political talks in Geneva at the end of the month.

The draft also urges all parties to refrain from hostilities against oil facilities in Libya, and also recognizes the Tripoli-based state oil company NOC as the sole legitimate entity allowed to sell Libyan oil.

Haftar’s forces blocked oil exports from the war-ravaged country’s main ports on Saturday.

The move to cripple the country’s main source of income was framed by the rebel forces as a protest against Turkey’s decision to send troops to shore up the Libyan government.

After months of combat, which has killed more than 2,000 people, a ceasefire was agreed to take effect on January 12 but was soon ignored.

Also, on Tuesday, Haftar walked away from peace talks in the Russian capital of Moscow.

Sarraj had signed a draft truce agreement during those talks.

On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the European Union to support his country’s deployment of troops to Libya if the 28-member bloc seeks to end the conflict in the North African country.

Since 2014, Libya has been divided between two rival camps: the government in Tripoli, and a camp based in the eastern city of Tobruk.

Haftar, who is backed by Egypt, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, is the self-proclaimed commander of an array of militia groups apparently supporting the eastern camp. He launched an offensive to capture Tripoli and oust the government in April.

His forces have been bogged down near the capital; yet, he has pledged to continue the offensive.

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Iranian rhythms characterize the piece, but no Iranian instruments will be used in the performances, Von Deylen stated.

Schiller will give performances for three nights at the Grand Hall of the Interior Ministry in Tehran.

This is the second time the band has given concerts in Tehran. Earlier in December 2017, the band gave performances at the Grand Hall of the Interior Ministry. The performances were warmly received by Iranian concertgoers.

Von Deylen said that he is happy that Iranian audiences like his music.

He also added that in his previous trip to Iran he got to know more about Iranian music but he still does not know any Iranian musicians.

Von Deylen also mentioned that he discovered that Iranian audiences like more rhythmic pieces and that is why he has chosen some more upbeat and rhythmic pieces for his second concert in Tehran.

Ritmeno, an Iranian music news agency that is the organizer of the performances, has arranged the second concert for three nights.

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