Italy's foreign minister Angelino Alfano on Thursday held "cordial" talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on the sidelines of a Mediterranean summit in Rome, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Topics covered during Alfano's meeting with Zarif included Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, and bilateral ties between Italy and Iran, the foreign ministry stated.
"The level of bilateral dialogue between Iran and Italy is excellent," Alfano stated.
Italy and the European Union are determined that the Vienna accord should remain the cornerstone of international nuclear non-proliferation, Alfano told Zarif during their meeting, the foreign ministry said.
"The lifting of European sanctions against Iran has lead to a surge in interest shown by Italian companies in the Iranian market," Alfano said.
The Italian government is taking action to support Italian firms interested in Iran, Alfano underlined to Zarif.
