Iran, Kazakhstan boost trade relations with new railway network
Kazakhstan is a strong ally of Iran, and has helped the Islamic Republic circumvent sanctions.
Iran and Kazakhstan are continuing to develop their economic ties.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Tehran yesterday where he met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and President Ebrahim Raisi. During the visit, Raisi and Tokayev inaugurated a railway network running from Kazakhstan to Iran and onto Turkey. The purpose of the railway is to facilitate Kazakhstan’s exports to Europe, and a Kazakh freighter left Tehran for Turkey yesterday to this end, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
The state-owned National Iranian Oil Company and its Kazakh counterpart KazMunayGas also signed a cooperation agreement. Officials signed additional deals on cooperation related to science, transportation, cultural exchanges, trade and agriculture during the Raisi-Tokayev summit, according to the agency.
Why it matters: Iran has had good relations with Kazakhstan since the Central Asian country gained independence from the Soviet Union. Kazakhstan has especially assisted Iran via oil swap agreements, which have helped the Islamic Republic circumvent sanctions, Giorgio Cafiero wrote for TRT World in January.
