Kyiv tears up 1993 memorandum with Iran on visa-free travel for officials

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has terminated the memorandum of understanding with Iran on visa-free travel for citizens holding diplomatic and service passports, said Taras Melnychuk, the Cabinet’s permanent representative in the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament).

“The memorandum of understanding between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on visa-free travel for citizens with diplomatic and service passports, signed on March 15, 1993 in Kyiv, has been terminated,” he wrote on Telegram, per Caliber.Az.

For the record, the MoU, formalised on March 15, 1993, in Kyiv, facilitated visa-free travel between Ukraine and Iran for holders of diplomatic and service passports. This agreement was part of early post-Soviet Ukraine’s efforts to establish diplomatic ties and foster cooperation with various countries, including Iran, during a period of relatively neutral relations.

The agreement aimed to simplify travel for diplomats and officials, promoting bilateral exchanges in areas like trade, culture, and diplomacy. At the time, Ukraine and Iran maintained cooperative relations, with Iran viewing Ukraine as a potential partner in its post-Soviet outreach.

By Khagan Isayev