DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—The nuclear deal is done. Now it’s time to talk business.
While it will likely be months before sanctions on Iran ease, business and political leaders are wasting no time in trying to tap into a large and what they hope will be lucrative Iranian market.
Germany is dispatching a large trade delegation to Tehran on Sunday, July 19. Spain has a similar trip planned, and France’s top diplomat is eyeing a visit too. Ads for European cars and luxury goods are starting to reappear in Tehran. Airlines in Dubai are fast adding new Iran routes to meet growing demand.
American firms, though, have to be much more cautious. Deal or no deal, U.S. sanctions not related to the nuclear program will still be in place and bar most American companies from doing business with Iran.
That means they stand to lose out to European and Asian companies—some that still have business contacts in the country before sanctions were tightened in recent years.
