Two French ministers head to Iran with firms' leaders

Baku. 21 September. REPORT.AZ/ A senior French economic and political delegation heads to Tehran on Sunday to lay the groundwork for the first business contracts between France and Iran since an accord to curb its nuclear programme in July, Report informs Reuters writes.

France's main business lobby group, the Medef, is sending a delegation comprising more than 100 firms to Iran, including companies such as oil major Total, planemaker Airbus and car manufacturer Peugeot.

"We're trying to identify areas where we can move forward, but we're not going to do business at any cost."

The delegation includes most of France's CAC 40 companies, but also small and medium enterprises with sectors as wide-ranging as agriculture, finance, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, construction and transport represented.

Heading it up are Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll and Trade Minister Matthias Fekl, who will open a new trade office in the Iranian capital on Sept. 22.

France took one of the hardest lines of the six powers negotiating the nuclear agreement with Iran.