Iran’s FM Plans Kazakhstan Visit
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accepted his Kazakh counterpart’s invitation to travel to the Central Asian country.
In a visit to Tehran as part of regular diplomatic consultations, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Askar Musinov held meetings with senior Iranian diplomats on Sunday.
He had a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and submitted a written message from Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov.
Zarif accepted an invitation to visit Kazakhstan, saying he will probably pay an official visit next spring.
Musinov also held another meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Asian and Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour.
The two diplomats discussed bilateral relations between Tehran and Astana in the political, cultural and economic fields.
In September 2013, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Kazakh counterpart met on the sidelines of an SCO summit in the Kyrgyz capital city of Bishkek and underlined the two countries’ resolve to bolster bilateral relations in all fields.
Iran imports grain, oil products and metals from Kazakhstan. Iran is a partner in joint oil and gas projects including construction of a pipeline connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran (Persian Gulf) which will give Astana access to the Asian markets.
Kazakhstan has special interests in Iranian investments in mechanical engineering, infrastructure, transport, and telecommunications.
Kazakhstan and Iran are two of the five Caspian littoral states that also include Russia, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
