TEHRAN – The Switzerland Global Enterprise and the Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce co-organized a conference dubbed ‘Business Outlook Iran – New Opportunities’ in Zurich on August 27.

Some 450 Iranian and Swiss economic enterprises active in food, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, services, and health industries participated in the event, said Sharif Nezam-Mafi, the chairman of the Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce.

He added that a large Swiss trade delegation will come to Iran in the near future, the Mehr news agency reported on Saturday.

Switzerland’s ambassador on Thursday called Iran a “pole of stability” in the Middle East and urged companies to make the most of a lucrative market about to reopen after years of crippling sanctions, Reuters reported. 

Ambassador Giulio Haas was addressing some 500 Swiss business people in Zurich as Europeans race back to Iran, whose markets and oil will be much easier to tap once sanctions are lifted, under a global deal struck last month. 

Earlier this month, Switzerland lifted several already suspended economic sanctions against Iran, following last month's historic deal between Tehran and world powers on the Iranian nuclear program.

The Swiss government decided to lift the ban on precious metals transactions with Iranian state bodies, as well as the requirement to report all trade in Iranian petrochemical products.

It also lifted requirements to report the transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products, as well as insurance policies taken out in connection with such transactions.

Gholamreza Shafe’i, the chairman of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture said in April that Iran was ready for launching joint ventures with Switzerland in industrial and tourism projects. 

“We are willing to participate with Swiss companies to implement tourism, mining, food, and medical projects,” Shafe’i said.