Looking out from the observation deck of the Milad Tower in Tehran, 280m high, it's easy to see the attraction that Iran holds. The city is perpetually busy: traffic jams beset the multilane freeways, while clover-shaped flyovers adorn the cityscape. Parks are offset by high-rise flats and a bustling city centre. It's a far cry from the perception of a war-torn, Middle Eastern country. In reality, Iran, and the capital Tehran, are ripe for the picking - with investment companies, economists and the South African and Iranian governments talking about reaching an ambitious $3-billion (about R42-billion) in annual trade in the next decade. Add oil into the mix and the figure almost trebles. Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who visited Iran with President Jacob Zuma last year, said this week Iran presented "intriguing" opportunities. The size of the population, along with advanced capabilities in science and technology, presented the biggest opportunities, said Gordhan.There was ...
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