Kazakh leader welcomes Iranian president, calls for deeper bilateral cooperation PHOTO

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in a narrow-format meeting to discuss boosting cooperation in trade, politics, culture, and security.

A formal ceremony was also held at Akorda to mark Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Kazakhstan, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Kazakh president’s press service (Akorda).

Tokayev underlined the significance of Pezeshkian’s visit, noting it was his first official trip to Kazakhstan.

“There is a good Kazakh proverb: ‘When neighbours are friendly, it is a blessing.’ Our countries are connected by the Caspian Sea. For Kazakhstan, Iran is a close neighbour and a reliable partner in the Middle East. We continue to develop our ties with unwavering respect for the Iranian people,” the Kazakh leader noted.

He added that Kazakhstan always supports Iran and emphasised that there are no unresolved issues between the countries, noting the “great potential for cooperation” and the need to increase mutual trade.

Pezeshkian, meanwhile, emphasised the effective cooperation between Iran and Kazakhstan, noting his confidence in the countries’ vast potential to enhance collaboration in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and security spheres.

Diplomatic ties between Iran and Kazakhstan began in January 1992, with embassies established soon after; since then, the two countries have steadily expanded cooperation in political dialogue, economic exchange, and regional transport projects like the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway, which connects Central Asia with the Persian Gulf and enhances trade and logistics links.

Over the past decade, Iran and Kazakhstan have significantly increased trade and economic interaction, aiming to raise bilateral trade toward multi-billion-dollar targets, deepen collaboration in sectors such as agriculture, industry, and transit infrastructure, and integrate their markets through transport corridors and free‑trade frameworks.

By Jeyhun Aghazada