TEHRAN (Iran News) – Director of Department of the Near, the Middle East and Africa of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Kazakhstan believes the Islamic Republic of Iran is an important country in the region and his country is keen to bolster its brotherly and amicable ties with Tehran.
Speaking to IRAN NEW, Ontalap Onalbayev said since the independence of Kazakhstan in 992, the relation between Iran and Kazakhstan has been friendly and Kazakhstan is eager to bolster its multiple ties with Tehran. He added that for this reason during the SCO Summit in Tajikistan, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met Iran’s new President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi to show Kazakhstan’s determination for expansion of ties with Iran.
He said Iran is an important country in the region and it plays a colorful role in the region and international equities. He added that Kazakhstan has plans for especial cooperation with Iran in the fields of security, economy and investment.
He then said Kazakhstan’s first President Nursultan Nazarbayev in his first foreign visit flew to Iran in 1992 to meet the then Iran President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He noted that Iran was of the first countries which recognized the independence of Kazakhstan in December 1992 and Nazarbayev immediate in 1993 visited Tehran, adding that in 1992 Nazarbayev signed the Joint Iran-Kazakhstan Commission.
He added that the two countries have signed over 60 joint documents with Iran. Onalbayev went on to say that Iran was of the first countries which opened its embassy in Kazakhstan. He noted that due to the significance of Iran for Kazakhstan in terms of economy and politics, Kazakhstan opened a news consulate in Bandar Abbas in south of Iran which can be a north-south corridor for transit of Kazakhstan goods.
He then said that Kazakhstan opened its embassy in Tehran in 1993 and the political relation between the two states immediate started in January 1993.
Onalbayev then pointed to the joint cooperation between the two states in the regional and international issues, pointing to their countries in the CICA which is a security cooperation. He noted that the next meeting of heads of the CICA will be held next year.
Touching upon recent developments in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s taking power, the veteran Kazakh diplomat said that everybody expected some developments in Afghanistan but it happened very fast and it was beyond the expectation and everybody was shocked. He added that Kazakhstan like other countries and Iran is very concerned about Afghanistan and the Taliban’s programs. He noted that Kazakhstan is ready for any humanitarian aids for the Afghan people and expressed hope the new governmet act democratically.
