President Hassan Rouhani will be the first Iranian president to travel to Europe in a decade when he arrives later this week. He is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis and President Sergio Mattarella in Italy, and then continue on to France where he will give a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
However, the trip—which comes on the heels of a historic nuclear deal agreement—has the potential to turn sour if the two countries are unable to reach an agreement over wine.
French media are reporting that Rouhani has objected to dining at the Elysee presidential palace because his hosts refuse to break from their tradition of serving wine with meals. But it appears asking to French to serve dinner without wine is just as sacrilege, leaving the two parties at odds.
According to France’s RTL Radio, his request to interfere with the republican and secular traditions the French hold so dearly at the dining table was met with simple but stubborn refusal.
The Iranians reportedly snubbed a French offer of an alcohol-free breakfast as an alternative because it appeared “too cheap” for President Rouhani.
The spate probably does not mean much in the long run, but it is a sign of the tension still present between the two nations, especially as reports suggest France is having a difficult time courting Iranian business now that the country is likely to open up to increased international trade.
By Kane Hippisley-Gatherum
