TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to Kazakhstan anticipates that the close relations between Tehran and Astana will continue to grow during the next Kazakh president’s term.

In an interview with Tasnim, Majid Saber outlined the status of political and economic relations with Kazakhstan.

Asked about the future of bilateral ties after the abrupt resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev as president in March, the envoy hailed him as a prominent, influential and smart politician whose term marked a growing trend in the friendly relations between Iran and Kazakhstan.

Saber said the recent political developments in Kazakhstan have taken place within the framework of its constitution, noting that Iran supports the legal processes in the Eurasian country.

“The relations between Iran and Kazakhstan are deep-rooted, age-old and based upon mutual interests. At present, Kazakhstan has a major position on Iran’s regional strategy as the most important and most stable republic in Central Asia,” the envoy underlined.

He said that apart from close political interaction, the two countries work in cooperation in regional and international organizations such as the United Nations and affiliated bodies, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and Asian and international parliamentary forums.

The Kazakh officials have supported the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and have also voiced opposition to the U.S. unilateral sanctions against Tehran several times, the ambassador stated, adding that the two nations enjoy close economic, political, cultural and military cooperation.

Saber further explained that a review of plans of the current presidential candidates suggests that Kazakhstan is not going to make any significant change to its policies towards Iran.

“We are confident that the good relations between the two countries will continue to grow more firmly than the past under the next president,” Saber concluded.

Nazarbayev abruptly announced his resignation in March, 29 years after taking office.

In a televised address, the 78-year-old said he has made the "difficult" decision to terminate his authority as president, but did not give a specific reason for the shocking decision.

Nazarbayev, who was elected for a fifth five-year term in 2015, said the speaker of the Central Asian country's legislative upper house, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will serve as the interim head of state until a new election is held.

Nazarbayev has led oil-rich Kazakhstan since 1989, when it was still part of the Soviet Union. He came to power as the country's Communist Party chief and was then elected president in 1991 weeks before the Soviet breakup.

SP/PA