New Opportunities Emerge for Iran–Kyrgyzstan Trade and Investment

TEHRAN (Iran News) According to the Mashhad Chamber of Commerce, the delegation—led by Khorasan Razavi Governor Gholamhossein Mozaffari and Mohammadreza Tavakolizadeh, President of the Mashhad Chamber of Commerce—began its visit with several key events. These included the signing of cooperation agreements between Khorasan Razavi and Osh provinces as well as their chambers of commerce, specialized discussions with officials from the Bishkek Free Economic Zone, and official talks with Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Investment.

A series of meetings, negotiations, and site visits offered a fresh outlook on enhancing trade exchanges, launching joint investment projects, and tapping into the transit potential of both sides—highlighting that Iran–Kyrgyzstan economic relations hold far greater potential than current trade levels reflect.

On the first day of the visit, Mohammadreza Tavakolizadeh and Torud Bayev Kantoro, President of the Osh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed an agreement to strengthen private-sector cooperation between the two provinces.

Tavakolizadeh described the agreement as a strategic step toward broader economic, industrial, and investment collaboration. Under its terms, the two sides committed to creating new opportunities in trade, investment, tourism, and academic exchange by harnessing private-sector capacities.

He added that the agreement marks the beginning of a new chapter in economic cooperation between Khorasan Razavi and Osh and could accelerate Iran–Kyrgyzstan trade growth. The chambers pledged to exchange business delegations, facilitate exhibitions and specialized meetings, and support the implementation of joint investment projects.

The two sides will also cooperate regularly in exchanging economic, statistical, and commercial data and will share expertise in trade, customs, transportation, and investment.

On the second day, the Iranian delegation met with officials of the Bishkek Free Economic Zone to examine cooperation mechanisms and identify shared opportunities.

Tavakolizadeh highlighted the zone’s reputation as a prominent free-trade hub in Central Asia, noting its appeal for foreign investors. He said the purpose of the visit was to gain deeper insight into the zone’s legal guarantees, policy framework, and investor incentives.

The delegation’s priorities included assessing procedures for financial transactions, currency transfers, links to international banking networks, the establishment of foreign companies and offices, tax exemptions, and other legal protections available to investors.

Tavakolizadeh expressed hope that the visit would mark “the beginning of strengthened economic relations and increased trade volumes between Iran and Kyrgyzstan.”

During a meeting with Kyrgyz Minister of Investment Almas Bektaev, Khorasan Razavi Governor Gholamhossein Mozaffari outlined the province’s economic strengths. He noted that Khorasan Razavi—with a population of over seven million, several special economic and free trade zones, 43 industrial towns, and more than 6,000 active production units—is one of Iran’s industrial and mining hubs. The province produces more than 30% of Iran’s iron ore.

Mozaffari identified Kyrgyzstan’s strengths in livestock feed production, agriculture, and meat processing, stating that the two countries could build mutually beneficial partnerships based on these complementary advantages.

Iran’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Gholamhossein Yadegari, highlighted the country’s significant economic growth in recent years, including increases in GDP, foreign trade, and large-scale infrastructure development. He emphasized the need for a greater private-sector role in bilateral cooperation and noted that the presence of 40 Iranian business representatives in the delegation demonstrates readiness for deeper engagement.

Kyrgyz Minister of Investment Almas Bektaev provided an overview of the financial and regulatory responsibilities of his ministry. He said Kyrgyzstan has developed modern financial platforms both domestically and for international transactions.

Bektaev emphasized efforts to establish non-dollar alternatives for trade. Kyrgyzstan has introduced a gold-backed national stablecoin valued at par with the US dollar, alongside alternative systems to SWIFT for financial cooperation with Russia and China. These tools, he said, create new channels for facilitating international payments.

He stated that Kyrgyzstan is prepared to share comprehensive information with the Iranian side on investment opportunities, incentives, legal frameworks, and its new financial systems. He also proposed sending a specialized delegation to Iran to discuss cooperation on modern financial platforms, establishing bank accounts for Iranian businesses, and developing joint payment tools. “Iran–Kyrgyzstan”

Bektaev reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan’s willingness to welcome Iranian investors and ease their entry into the Kyrgyz market.

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to pursue further expert-level negotiations on investment cooperation, financial collaboration, transit corridor development, and the expanded role of the private sector.