Kazakhstan and Iran are steadily transforming long-standing diplomatic ties into a multidimensional partnership centered on transit corridors, trade diversification, energy cooperation, and regional connectivity.
Samyar Rostami
During Kassym Tokayev’s visit to Tehran on June 19, 2022, 24 documents were signed, and during the official visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Kazakhstan on December 11, 2025, 14 documents were signed.
Bilateral and multilateral diplomatic and political cooperation
From Tokayev’s perspective, Iran is both a close neighbor and a reliable partner for Kazakhstan in the Middle East. Regionalism and the expansion of relations and interactions with neighbors and countries in the region are also fundamental principles of Iran’s foreign policy. Therefore, the development of interactions with Central Asian countries has a special place in Iran’s foreign policy.
Given existing capacities, political will, and a clear trade roadmap, a bilateral trade volume of $2–3 billion is achievable in the short term
Apart from the historical roots and relations, the progress in the past 33 years of relations, the absence of major differences, constructive political dialogue, the effective activity of the intergovernmental commission and inter-parliamentary relations, and more than fifty agreements, cooperation in international organizations indicates dynamic and bilateral relations. Also, the visit of Masoud Pezeshkian to Kazakhstan and the signing of a joint statement between the two countries, the bilateral meeting of officials, and the interactions of Tehran and Astana on many regional and global issues are decisive steps towards strengthening bilateral cooperation.
In a recent press statement, the presidents of Iran and Kazakhstan focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, concerns about the escalation of armed conflicts, sanctions pressures and trade wars, interaction within the framework of international organizations, condemnation of the use of force, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, strengthening the role of the United Nations, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The need for close cooperation between the two countries in the changing global geopolitical conditions is obvious within the framework of multilateral institutions such as the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and ECO.
Kazakhstan and Iran are among the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea. The diverse fields and capacities of Iran and Kazakhstan in regional areas, in protecting the environment, waters, and sustainability of the Caspian Sea, are in the interests of both countries.
Logistics and Corridors
Kazakhstan and Iran see each other as indispensable partners in expanding regional communications. Iran is investing in expanding logistics capacity and transit routes.
As a landlocked country, Kazakhstan has tried to have better and easier communication routes to access South and West Asia.
In fact, the issue of cooperation in the field of transport and transit was the most important part of the recent negotiations between the two countries. In 2024, Kazakhstan, together with Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan, signed a roadmap for the development of the eastern branch of the North-South Corridor. The goal is to increase the capacity of this route to 20 million tons by 2030. Cargo volume has now increased by 53 percent in the first ten months of the year.
The transport cooperation between the two countries is on a favorable trend, and the roadmap for transport cooperation between the two countries will organize transit and logistics relations.
While Iranian ports have significant capacity to increase transit cooperation between the two countries. The proposal to transfer cargo from Aktau to Astara, Armenia, and Iraq; the launch of corridors from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Almaty, Tehran, and Istanbul; and rail agreements with 6 countries along the China-Europe route can expand transportation capacity.
In this area, focusing on several joint projects, the construction of a transport and logistics terminal in Shahid Rajaee port, the signing of a cooperation document on transit transportation of Kazakhstani cargo to Southeast Asia and Africa via Iran, strengthening relations between ports, and the creation of a joint industrial park in free zones for exports are very important.
Agriculture and Food Security
The role of Kazakhstan as a supplier of agricultural raw materials (such as 20 million tons of wheat per year) and Iran as a supplier of processed food products is important. Kazakhstan’s animal feed, oil, and meat products are also new opportunities for food cooperation.
Several joint Iranian food and agricultural projects in Kazakhstan, the launch of projects in the field of processing, storage, and agriculture, trade in the agricultural sector and grain exports, cooperation on flour mills, extraterritorial cultivation, wheat exports via Iran to the Persian Gulf countries, etc., can be fruitful.
Trade and economic cooperation
The number of companies registered with Iranian participation in Kazakhstan exceeds 600, and Iran has invested more than $220 million in the Kazakh economy. Expanding economic relations with neighbors is on the agenda of the government in Iran and is always being considered. Iran’s strengths in the fields of petrochemicals, mining, machinery, pharmaceuticals, food products and engineering services, knowledge-based nano- and biotechnology, healthcare and education, and energy have created extensive capacities for the development of economic cooperation between the two countries.
Part of the 14 recent cooperation documents with Kazakhstan are in these areas. Deeper cooperation in the field of mining and processing of raw materials is a win-win. Previously, Iran swapped Kazakh oil, and there is still potential for further cooperation in various energy sectors in this area.
From January to September 2025, the trade volume between Kazakhstan and Iran reached $310.8 million, an increase of 44%.
New cultural cooperation
Cultural and scientific cooperation, discussions on the exchange of written heritage, expansion of academic cooperation and implementation of joint cultural programs, and cinema cooperation between the two countries are new areas for people-to-people and cultural contacts between the two countries.
Outlook
The share of trade is insignificant, and challenges such as the lack of transportation and logistics infrastructure, the absence of a common bank, and secure and sustainable financial mechanisms are among the most important obstacles.
However, with the implementation of the Iran-Eurasia Free Trade Agreement, the development of infrastructure, and the removal of obstacles such as problems with money transfer, the development of tourism and health tourism, and cooperation will flourish further.
Also, with the modernization of ports, unrestricted traffic of the commercial fleets of the two countries, the connection of the Chabahar-Zahedan rail line, the removal of technical barriers, the coordination of transit tariffs, and the development of container services, the unification of rates, and the efficiency of the North and South Corridors will also increase.
Considering the capacities, the creation of a sustainable investment network between the private sectors, the roadmap for trade relations between the two countries, the existing political will, and practical measures, a trade volume of $2-3 billion can be achieved in the short term.
Facilitating visa issuance, opening trade centers, increasing flights between the two countries, and implementing the joint statement of the two presidents seem to be the beginning of a new chapter of long-term cooperation.
Samyar Rostami, а political observer and senior researcher in international relations
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