Alwaght- Italy covered up on Monday the Capitoline Museum's nude statues to respect visiting Iranian president Rouhani at his first European tour since the unjust nuclear sanctions were lifted.
Hassan Rouhani visited the Capitoline Museums with Premier Matteo Renzi, having signed contracts worth up to €17 billion ($18.4 billion).
And Renzi was clearly keen to avoid offending Islamic Republic's President. The nude statues and sculptures in the museum were completely covered by large white boxes.
Ahead of a news conference Monday with Premier Matteo Renzi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, wooden panels were erected around some Roman statues in Rome’s Capitoline Museums
Renzi and Rouhani spoke in a room featuring the famed bronze statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, fully clothed.
Two of the marble statues that were covered with wooden boards before Rouhani arrived.
The decision to cover up nudity was seen as a mark of respect for the traditions of the Muslim country, which has only just had its trade sanctions lifted.
The cover-up was not the only step Italy took to court President Rouhani. As Iranian officials refuses to attend meals that halal menu is not offered or alcohol is available, wine was off the menu at both lunch with President Sergio Mattarella and dinner with Renzi.
During this week’s meeting in Rome, Renzi and Rouhani committed to strengthening cultural ties. The premier’s office noted that Rome’s MAXXI museum is interested in putting on a show of works from Tehran’s museum of contemporary art.
After Rome, Rouhani heads to Paris. Last fall, a French radio report said the Iranian President had canceled a lunch at the French presidential palace because the palace refused to without wine. The palace insisted such a lunch had never been planned.
Italy was formerly Iran's biggest European trading partner, but trade has dwindled to a fifth of its former volume as a result of the sanctions.
