TEHRAN – An Iran-Kazakhstan business conference convened in the Kazakh capital Astana on Thursday, with the presidents of both countries, senior ministers, private sector officials, and business delegations from the two countries in attendance, seeking to deepen commercial ties.
Officials from Kazakhstan’s National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) and representatives of Iranian and Kazakh companies also attended the event.
Building a durable Iran–Kazakhstan private-sector partnership
Speaking at the conference, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran aims to build a stable network of cooperation and mutual investment between the private sectors of the two countries, calling the Central Asian nation a strategic partner.
He said Iran backs any joint initiative that raises living standards, adding that Tehran sees no limit to expanding ties. He noted that the relationship is rooted in shared history, cultural links, and long-standing mutual respect.
Pezeshkian said recent steps, including transport agreements, easier business visas, and expanded customs cooperation, have created momentum for stronger economic ties. He said new documents signed during the visit could further support private-sector activity.
He urged full implementation of agreements reached in the joint economic committee and said bilateral trade, which reached only three hundred and forty million dollars in 2024, remains far below potential.
The president called for coordinated public and private-sector efforts to meet the three-billion-dollar trade target and highlighted transport links as the driving force of regional connectivity.
He said Iran and Kazakhstan can form a key Eurasian bridge by activating transit corridors linking Central Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean.
Pezeshkian listed cooperation opportunities in energy, agriculture, industry, technology, tourism, and engineering services, saying Iranian companies are ready to participate in joint projects. He welcomed investment from both countries and said Iran is prepared to resolve administrative and banking challenges with Kazakh partners.
He cited feasible projects including a joint Caspian shipping consortium, storage and distribution facilities in Aktau, joint food and packaging plants, an Iranian building-materials export hub in Almaty, and mineral-processing ventures.
He also backed creating a joint business council, expanding direct flights, easing business visas, and establishing permanent trade exhibitions. He expressed hope the forum would lead to formal agreements, joint companies, and a visible rise in trade volumes.
Kazakhstan signals readiness for joint development of port terminals
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for his part, said his country is ready to work with Iran to expand port terminals and develop a multi-directional corridor linking Central Asia to the Persian Gulf.
He said bilateral trade has already exceeded three hundred and forty million dollars and is expected to multiply this year. Kazakhstan aims to raise trade to one billion dollars initially and later to two billion dollars.
Tokayev said a Kazakhstan trade house in Tehran will enable direct, stable supply of agricultural goods to Iran. He said Iran has invested more than two hundred and twenty-six million dollars in Kazakhstan, where over three hundred and fifty Iranian companies are active.
He highlighted Kazakhstan’s efforts to attract foreign investment through a special investment council and the expansion of the national digital platform.
Tokayev said logistics is a priority for bilateral cooperation and noted readiness to partner with Iran on port terminals, logistics upgrades, and increased transit volumes. He called the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway a key link in the emerging corridor.
Removing Iran–Kazakhstan trade barriers through government backing, active private-sector role
ICCIMA Head Samad Hassanzadeh outlined four key obstacles to Iran–Kazakhstan trade and called for joint planning and stronger private-sector involvement to remove them. He said completion of the North–South Corridor infrastructure should be a top priority.
He said the current bilateral trade of roughly three hundred and fifty million dollars could grow several-fold in the short term, given existing potential and political backing.
Hassanzadeh said the presence of senior officials at the forum underscored shared determination to expand economic ties, noting Kazakhstan’s importance as a major Central Asian economy and strategic partner.
He said proximity, stable political ties, and opportunities in energy, agriculture, mining, Caspian shipping, petrochemicals, metals, food industries, engineering services, and pharmaceuticals provide a strong basis for deeper cooperation.
Focus on expanding Iran–Kazakhstan transport cooperation
On the sidelines of the conference, Iran’s transport and Urban Development Minister met Kazakhstan’s transport minister to review transit, rail, road, and air cooperation between the two countries.
Farzaneh Sadegh held talks with Nurlan Sauranbayev on strengthening transport links and expanding cooperation on the North–South and East–West corridors.
The two sides discussed improving logistics centers from China’s border in Kazakhstan to Iran’s southern ports and increasing truck movements by removing road-transport barriers.
They also stressed the need to expand rail cooperation in bilateral trade and transit. In aviation, they discussed increasing passenger flights to support business and tourism travel.
EF/MA
Photo: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev deliver speeches at an Iran-Kazakhstan Business conference in Astana on Thursday.
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