Financial Tribune- Iran�s economic and investment opportunities were surveyed at a forum held in the Italian capital Rome on Wednesday.

Italian investors, bank managers, legal experts and business people, together with their Iranian counterparts, took part in the event that was organized by the Iranian Embassy in Rome in collaboration with Iran-Italy Chamber of Commerce.

Cooperation between Iran and Italy is mainly in the fields of oil and gas industries, petrochemicals, steel, electricity, infrastructure and transportation, IRNA reported.

Bilateral trade in 2017 stood at over �5.08 billion, registering a 96.63% upsurge compared with 2016. This makes the European country Iran�s biggest trade partner from among the 28 member states of the European Union last year.

Iran exported more than �3.36 billion worth of commodities to Italy in 2017, indicating close to 221% hike compared with the previous year, based on the latest Eurostat figures shared with Financial Tribune.

Imports of Iran from Italy amounted to more than �1.71 billion last year, indicating an 11.7% increase year-on-year.