Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, met with Mohammad Reza Aref, First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting in Almaty. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in agriculture, transport and logistics, and investment cooperation.
A key highlight of the talks was the announcement of a 25% increase in trade turnover of agricultural products between Kazakhstan and Iran, which reached $186mn in the past year. This surge comes as both countries aim to deepen their economic partnership, with Kazakhstan expressing interest in diversifying its exports to Iran, which include wheat, barley, and oilseeds. Kazakhstan’s grain harvest, which exceeded 26mn tons this year, is expected to meet the growing demand for these products in Iran.
In addition to agriculture, the meeting also addressed transport and logistics collaboration. Both sides agreed on increasing cargo transportation along the "North-South" international corridor and enhancing transit infrastructure. A focus was placed on the modernization of ports, including Kazakhstan's Aktau and Kuryk ports and Iran's Anzali and Amirabad ports, to facilitate smoother trade flows.
The discussions were framed by the recent achievement of Iran obtaining observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in December 2024, a move expected to bolster bilateral relations across all sectors. "Our main goal is to fully implement the tasks defined by the heads of state and raise Kazakh-Iranian cooperation to a qualitatively new level," Prime Minister Bektenov said. He emphasized the vast potential for trade and economic development between the two nations.
First Vice President Aref echoed these sentiments, noting the constructive political dialogue between the countries' leaders.
"Our countries are connected geographically and territorially. The heads of our states have set a goal to increase bilateral trade to $3bn. For our part, we are ready for comprehensive discussions on expanding bilateral cooperation," Aref added.
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