Kazakhstan-Iran Agricultural Trade Grows 25%

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov of Kazakhstan met with First Vice President of Iran Mohammad Reza Aref on the sidelines of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting in Almaty.

During a meeting between Kazakh Premier Olzhas Bektenov and Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, deepening of trade and economic relations, cooperation in agriculture, transport and logistics as well as investment interaction were discussed, The Caspian Post reports citing Kazinform.

Both sides highlighted greater bilateral relations in all areas since Iran became an observer state to the Eurasian Economic Union last December, while remaining Kazakhstan’s friendly neighbor in the Caspian region.

In 11 months of 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran rose 8.1% to nearly 300 million US dollars, according to the Kazakh government’s press service.

Kazakhstan seeks to diversify and boost its deliveries of 60 commodities by over 132 million US dollars. The countries saw agricultural trade turnover rise 25%, totaling 186 million US dollars, in 11 months of last year.

Also, transport and logistics cooperation with the aim to increase freight traffic via the North-South international corridor, expansion of transit capacities and infrastructure development were discussed. The sides also considered prospects for upgrading terminals at Kazakhstan’s Aktau and Kuryk and Iran’s Anzali and Amirabad ports.

Our goal is to ensure full completion of the tasks given by the heads of state and to bring Kazakh-Iranian cooperation to a new level, said Bektenov.

In turn, First Vice President of Iran Mohammad Reza Aref pointed out that Kazakhstan and Iran are connected in terms of location.

Recalling both Presidents’ tasks to increase bilateral trade to 3 billion US dollars, Mohammad Reza Aref expressed the readiness for an in-depth discussion of bilateral cooperation expansion.

Earlier, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin in Astana.