Tehran, Astana Sign 4 MoUs to Boost Their All-Out Ties
TEHRAN (Iran News) The 19th session of Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Commission was held at Hotel Espinas of Tehran and it was chaired by Iran’s Agriculture Minister Muhammad Ali Nikbakht in the presence of Kazakhstan delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin.
Addressing the event, Iran Agriculture Minister Nikbakht welcomed the Kazakh delegation in the meeting and said that this is the second meeting of the commission this year which indicates the strong determination of both countries to enhance and expand cooperation in all fields.
He reiterated that Iran President emphasizes expansion of ties with friendly and neighboring countries especially boosting economic cooperation with the neighbors which is important for Tehran. He then added that Iran is a revolutionary country which has achieved outstanding progress in the past decades after the victory of the delegation and the country has minimized its dependence on foreigners. He reiterated that Iran has progressed in medical, industrial, agricultural and oil sectors as the country has reduced its independence on foreigners and it can share experience with Kazakhstan and cooperated with Astana in those fields. He said fishery and animal husbandry are of the fields that both countries can cooperate.
Nikbakht said that Iran buys its required red meat from Brazil and it can buy it from Kazakhstan if the condition is good. He admitted that Iran produces 10.5m tons of wheat but still the country is an importer, adding that Iran imports annually some 20 million tons of corn, soybean meal and feed barley and Kazakhstan can be a supplier.
He announced Iran’s readiness to prepare favorable climate for cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field economy and especially trade in order to materialize the $3b bilateral target which has been set by both states.
Then Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Mr. Zhumangarin thanked hospitality of Iran and holding the meeting and noted that one of the policies of Kazakhstan is to expand ties with neighboring states and the talks between presidents of Iran and Kazakhstan have boosted the incentive for cooperation.
He added that this is his second visit to Tehran which bespeaks of his country’s strong determination for boosting ties with Iran.
The Kazakh official added that the delegation comprised of representatives of businesses has met and talked with their Iranian counterparts for finding ways for expanding cooperation. He once again reiterated that Iran is the important partner of Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea.
Zhumangarin noted that the trade between both countries rose by 20% in 2022 and reached $520m but in 2023 it has declined and dropped to $250m so far, adding that his country is ready to send seven items of goods and services to Iran.
He further said that in the first half of 2023, Iranians have invested some $177.2m in Kazakhstan and the figure for the investment of Kazakhs in Iran has been $13.6m. He stated that both countries have started 7 joint projects that 5 of them have come on stream and only two have not been completed yet. He said Kazakhstan today will sign the roadmap for boosting bilateral trade to $3b.
He said that both countries are trying to ease banking cooperation, adding that transportation is the other important issue for both countries for enhancing trade, reiterating that expansion of transport will lead to boost in the transit of Kazakhstan’s agro products via Iran.
Zhumangarin also said that exploitation from ports of both countries is very important for developing transportation, adding that Kazakhstan companies are working to be involved in projects in Iran’s Bandar Abbas and Amirabad in the south and north of country which will be key in transporting goods and transit of goods.
He stressed that he is certain that the Tehran-Astana ties will be expanded in all fields that both nations will benefit it.
Then Zhumangarin and Nikbakht signed four MoUs for boosting all-out cooperation. The first MoU was agreement on the joint commission and the second one was the roadmap between the two countries for increasing bilateral trade to $3b. Then both countries signed MoUs on cooperation between their Standards Organizations and hygienic and health requirements for import of meat from Kazakhstan.
Kairat Torebayev, the vice minister of trade and integration of Kazakhstan and Kazakh Ambassador to Tehran Askhat Orazbay as well as Mehdi Safari, Deputy Foreign Minister of Economic Diplomacy of Iran were also present in this event.
