NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed bilateral cooperation and the main issues on the regional and global agenda during their April 7 meeting, reports the Akorda press service.
Tokayev and Javad Zarif during their meeting in Akorda. Photo credit: Akorda press service
Javad Zarif’s visit to Kazakhstan comes as a part of his regional tour after he visited Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Welcoming the Iranian minister to Kazakhstan, Tokayev noted the friendly ties that the two countries have enjoyed.
“Iran is one of the key partners of Kazakhstan in the Middle East. We have had an excellent relationship in bad and good times. The international situation did not exercise any influence on our mutual cooperation. We appreciate this fact. Using this opportunity, I would like to convey my best regards to President Rouhani,” Tokayev said.
Javad Zarif also reaffirmed his country’s interest in increasing cooperation with Kazakhstan saying that Kazakhstan is “one of its closest neighbours and friends in the region.”
He conveyed greetings from President Hassan Rouhani and extended his invitation to President Tokayev to pay a visit to Iran.
“In Kazakhstan, on the third leg of my regional tour, where I’ve had substantive and fruitful meetings with President Tokayev and FM Tileuberdi, our two countries discussed many shared objectives on regional stability and global nuclear disarmament. As always, our neighbours are our priority,” wrote the minister on his Twiter account.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Javad Zarif signed off on a program for cooperation between their ministries.
Javad Zarif and Tileuberdi pose for a group photo. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry
They also explored ways to boost trade and economic cooperation, including the use of the opportunities provided by the Uzen (Kazakhstan), Bereket (Turkmenistan) and İnceburun (Iran) railway. In 2020, trade turnover amounted to US$237 million, a 37.2 percent decrease compared to 2019.
The ministers also emphasized the importance of coordinating joint work on the development of the Caspian Sea region.
“We also welcome the negotiation process to turn the interim agreement signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union to establish a free trade zone into a full-fledged agreement, which should positively affect the growth of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran,” said Tleuberdi at a press briefing the same day.
