Iranian Agriculture Minister Gholam-Reza Nouri, leading a trade-agriculture delegation, left Tehran for Astana, on Tuesday, to attend the meeting of Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Economic Committee.In an interview conducted by IRIB, the minister, before leaving the country, called the main goal of this trip to activate Iran's joint economic committees with other countries, especially neighboring and target countries, and said: “A group of 120 managers and entrepreneurs from Iran will be present at the 20th Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Economic Committee meeting, which will be held today and tomorrow in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan."Regarding the importance of this trip, he said: “Given the position that Kazakhstan has in Central Asia and is one of the most important countries in this region, and also, given the volume of trade of about five hundred million dollars that we currently have with this country, we are trying to increase this figure to at least three billion dollars."He assessed the communication capacities of the two countries as high and added: "The good grounds and good cultural, religious, and economic commonalities between the two countries will improve the promotion of interactions, and there are very favorable grounds for increasing cooperation, including in the fields of transportation, industry, mining, and agriculture."Attending an exhibition with the participation of Iranian economic units and visiting Iranian agricultural farms overseas are among the plans for this trip, the minister added.In late April, Iran and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to invest in and develop a dedicated terminal and logistics center at Shahid Rajaee Port, the country’s largest commercial port on the Persian Gulf.The agreement was signed in the presence of Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Iran, senior officials from Kazakhstan’s Export Development Fund, and Saeed Rasouli, acting head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), along with members of the organization’s executive board.Rasouli stated that Iran is prepared to review Kazakhstan’s business plan within a month of receiving it and will finalize a model contract following approval. Under the terms of the MOU, the Kazakh government is expected to submit its investment plan within three months.“Iran serves as Kazakhstan’s gateway to open waters,” Rasouli said, emphasizing Iran’s support for foreign investment, including Kazakhstan’s, as part of efforts to enhance trade and transit cooperation between the two countries. He noted that with 1,800 kilometers of coastline and access to international waters, Iran has substantial potential for logistics and transit development with neighboring nations.He also reassured stakeholders that despite a recent fire incident at Shahid Rajaee Port in Hormozgan Province, port operations continue at full capacity. “Currently, 35 vessels carrying oil, mineral, and containerized cargo are docked and being serviced without disruption,” Rasouli said, assuring shipping companies and traders of uninterrupted access to maritime and port services.Hormozgan Governor Mohammad Ashouri echoed the government's commitment to expanding and equipping Iran’s commercial ports and said the Kazakh investment would directly enhance bilateral trade and economic relations between Tehran and Astana.Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Iran, Ontalap Onalbayev, expressed condolences over the recent incident at the port and described the investment as a strategic opportunity for Kazakhstan. He thanked Iranian authorities for their cooperation in facilitating the joint project and said the development of a logistics hub in Bandar Abbas would strengthen bilateral ties.Kazakhstan’s Export Development Fund chairman Mohammad Kaldybayev called Shahid Rajaee Port a key gateway for Kazakh exports and imports and praised Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization for its support. (ICE TEHERAN)

Fonte notizia: Tehran Times