Following a Sunday meeting with the most powerful energy executive in Iran Bijan Zangeneh, Minister of Petroleum, in Tehran, Nils Schmid touted the historical cooperation of companies in Baden-Wurttemberg with Iranian ones. Much of the relations has been severed due to the western sanctions on Iran.
"We are planning to continue our cooperation with Iran once the sanctions are lifted on the country," the German official said.
Mittelstand refers to small and medium-sized enterprises in German-speaking countries, especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
He said the Mittlestand enterprises in the German state are considering various aspects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to return to Iran as soon as the sanctions are lifted.
"The companies in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg are in talks with Iranian sides and are gathering data about various industrial and energy sectors of Iran in pursuit of ways to cooperate with the country after the sanctions."
Schmid arrived in Tehran on Sunday at the head of a 68-member delegation of German Mittlestand companies who, during their three-day visit, will hold talks with Iranian officials and industrialists to discuss matters like manufacturing high-tech engineering and measuring machinery, as well as projects to optimize energy consumption in Iran.
Mittelstand companies have been given more and more credit for Germany's economic growth since the beginning of the 20th century, often under the name of hidden champions.
By SHANA
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