Iran, Kazakhstan emphasize $3b trade target, port development
Trilateral railway agreement finalized with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
The roads ministers of Iran and Kazakhstan emphasized achieving the targeted $3 billion trade volume, highlighting the necessity of developing Iranian ports and increasing commercial traffic through diversification of transportation routes.
Separately, during a trilateral meeting between the heads of railways of Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, a joint railway cooperation agreement concerning sponge iron exports and transit was finalized.
Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadeq, who was accompanying First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref to the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries during a visit to Awaza, Turkmenistan – held talks with her Kazakh counterpart Nurlan Sauranbayev on Wednesday.
At the meeting, held to strengthen transportation cooperation and formulate a joint roadmap, the Iranian minister highlighted the importance of transit development and joint infrastructure projects.
Sadeq stressed the necessity of pursuing the roadmap for the eastern route of the North-South Transport Corridor.
The route developed with Kazakhstan as the focal point and in cooperation with Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran, whose related document had previously been signed by the deputy ministers of transport of the respective countries.
During the meeting, the two sides examined the necessity of strengthening all modes of transport between Iran and Kazakhstan and emphasized the importance of formulating a comprehensive five-year transportation cooperation document. The proposal was put forward by the Iranian side and welcomed by the minister of transport of Kazakhstan.
In another part of the meeting, the parties agreed to utilize the capacities of the Caspian Sea to boost transportation cooperation. The Kazakh minister of transport proposed cooperation in projects similar to the Caspian Sea Bridge with the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Regarding bilateral trade, achieving the targeted $3 billion trade volume was a central topic of the discussions. The two sides emphasized the necessity of developing Iranian ports and increasing commercial traffic through diversification of transportation routes. It was also agreed to hold multilateral meetings with the participation of neighboring countries to develop logistical cooperation on routes leading to the Caucasus and Europe.
Concluding the meeting, the ministers agreed to form a joint committee to draft cooperation documents and a comprehensive roadmap before President Masoud Pezeshkian’s upcoming visit to Astana.
Development of border projects with Azerbaijan
During a meeting on Tuesday between Iran's minister of roads and urban development and the first deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan, the two sides agreed to undertake a field visit to Astara to assess the latest status of joint border projects.
Sadeq, during an official meeting with Shahin Mustafayev, and chairman of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation between the two countries, emphasized the development of economic and executive cooperation, particularly in the area of joint border projects.
Held within the framework of the joint commission for economic cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, the meeting involved discussions on the latest status of joint projects in border regions.
The two sides stressed the necessity of accelerating the implementation of joint border projects, including the Astara Border Terminal and the border bridges under construction.
Sponge iron exports focus of trilateral deal
On the sidelines of the international summit in Awaza, a joint railway cooperation agreement concerning sponge iron exports and transit was finalized during a trilateral meeting of the heads of railways of Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The meeting was participated by the Iranian vice president, minister of roads and urban development, and Jabbarali Zakeri, CEO of the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During the meeting, the parties emphasized the necessity of expanding railway cooperation and increasing the volume of international freight between the three countries. It was also agreed that a trilateral memorandum of understanding between Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan would be signed to facilitate traffic and remove existing obstacles at border crossing points along transit corridors.