TEHRAN – Mohammad Khaki, head of the Khorramabad Chamber of Commerce, met with Ontalap Onalbaiyev, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Iran, to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade, emphasizing the need to raise annual exchanges from $340 million to $3.0 billion.

Khaki said Iran and Kazakhstan have enjoyed dynamic and growing trade ties, adding that despite international restrictions, joint planning and coordination could help achieve the new target. He described Kazakhstan as a key Central Asian nation with significant geographical and economic potential for regional cooperation with Iran.

He highlighted Lorestan province’s role, noting that five of Iran’s top export items to Kazakhstan are produced there. A Kazakh delegation is expected to visit agricultural, dairy, and construction materials facilities in the province to explore opportunities for cooperation.

Khaki pointed to Lorestan’s vast natural and industrial potential, including 13 billion cubic meters of water resources—around 11 percent of Iran’s total—and over 1,300 active industrial units spanning petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and mineral processing. The province, he said, ranks among Iran’s top regions for decorative stones and non-metallic minerals, with more than 200 stone-cutting factories.

Ambassador Onalbaiyev praised Iran’s cultural and historical ties with Kazakhstan, saying relations between Tehran and Astana rest on shared heritage and mutual support in regional and international affairs. He said trade between the two countries reached $245 million in the first half of 2024, including $144 million in Kazakh exports and $101 million in Iranian exports, and is expected to rise as transit corridors and joint projects expand.

The envoy said Kazakhstan is considering establishing a logistics hub in Iran’s Bandar Abbas to strengthen links via the North–South Transport Corridor to Gulf and Iraqi markets. He added that Kazakhstan welcomes Iranian investors, offering tax exemptions, investment guarantees, and long-term residency to attract participation in mining, agriculture, and processing industries.

Onalbaiyev also stressed the importance of cultural and academic cooperation, calling it the foundation of deeper ties between the two nations. He noted Lorestan’s potential to play a key role in fostering both economic and cultural connections between Iran and Kazakhstan.

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