rome/ankara china finance billions dollars worth chinese-led project iran make deep inroads economy european competitors struggle find bank will fund ambition iranian government industry officials say free cripple nuclear sanction two years ago iran draw unprecedented chinese fund everything railways hospitals say state-owned investment arm citic group recently establish 10 billion credit line china development bank consider 15 billion western firm good come quickly iran otherwise china take say ferial mostofi head iran chamber commerce investment commission speak sideline iran-italy investment meet rome chinese fund far large statement investment intent country iran stark contrast drought face western investors since u.s. president donald trump disavow 2015 pact agree major power raise threat sanction could reimpose iranian officials say deal part beijing 124 billion belt road initiative aim build new infrastructure highways railways port power plant china europe pave way expansion trade source china familiar citic credit line agree september call agreement strategic intent source decline give detail project finance iranian media report say would include water management energy environment transport project iranian central bank source say loan credit line would primarily extend euros yuan china development bank sign memorandum understand 15 billion iranian state news agency irna say sept. 15. bank decline comment line many foreign investors bank include china reluctant discuss activities iran story web sit bank company often carry little information iran operations population 80 million large sophisticate middle class iran potential regional economic powerhouse risk sanction hang air foreign investors want tehran issue sovereign guarantee protect case project halt economic tie iran italy big european trade partner affect italy state-owned rail company ferrovie dello stato consultant build 415-km 260-mile high-speed north-south rail line tehran isfahan via qom state-owned china railway engineer corp. italian firm separately contract build line qom west arak need 1.2 billion euros finance though back state export insurance agency say need sovereign guarantee finalize negotiations optimistic move forward say riccardo monti chairman italferr state firm engineer unit add finance finalise march next year prime minister matteo renzi promise tehran last year oil wheel trade billion euro credit line italy state investment vehicle effectively dead source italy familiar matter say cassa depositi prestiti cdp risk lose confidence many u.s. bond-holders could sell hold credit line go ahead source say european bank deepen trade tie iran year austria oberbank ober.vi ink finance deal iran september south korea also prove will investor seoul eximbank sign billion euros credit line project iran august accord chinese state news agency xinhua china standout valerio de molli head italian think tank european house ambrosetti reckon china account double eu share iran total trade time act otherwise opportunities nurture far lose de molli say iranian officials attend week meet rome seek goad european firm bankers action talk chinese finance investments train go forward say fereidun haghbin director general economic affairs iran foreign ministry world lot great unite state iranian officials remain concern investment could become lop-sided look creative ways maintain investment link west however iran chamber encourage western firm consider transfer technology way earn equity iranian project rather focus capital also seek approval set 2.5-billion-euro offshore fund perhaps luxembourg indirect way foreigners invest iran especially small medium-sized iranian enterprises mostofi say fund would issue financial guarantee foreigners want return fee effectively step bank fear tread fund capital would come iran mostofi say however big western firm remain stick italian power engineer firm ansaldo energia control state investor cdp part-owned shanghai electric group 601727.ss iran 70 years chairman giuseppe zampini tell reuters rome conference many opportunities new contract hand tie partly ansaldo bond also hand u.s. investors heart say lose something zampini say china push billions iranian economy western firm stall