Italy-Iran exports 'could rise by 2 billion euros by 2020'

(AGI) Tehran, May 17 - Italy could increase its exports to Iran by 2 billion euros by 2020, said Valerio De Molli, a director of the European House-Ambrosetti think tank. Speaking at the first Italy-Iran Summit in Tehran, he stressed the similarities in the economic structure of the two countries with the large presence of small and medium-sized enterprises. "Italy has something like 400,000 SMEs which is equal to those of France and Germany combined." The Iranian economy has 4 percent growth, a figure that, according to estimates, could reach 8 percent, he said. "From here to 2022 Iran should be able to achieve a total of 30-50 billion dollars in annual foreign investment." Iran's exports to Italy could increase by another 5.6 billion dollars by 2020, "and not only in the oil sector," he said. Italy's desire to promote trade with Iran was shown by the 4.8 billion euros of guarantees provided by export credit agency SACE for investments in Iran, he said. He also pointed out the possibility of making 10 billion dollars worth of investments in renewable energy sources, during the summit which was organised by the European House-Ambrosetti,. (AGI). .