Iran, Kazakhstan call for enhancing cooperation in fields of transit

Tehran, IRNA - Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin on Monday said that Iran and Kazakhstan agreed on inking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase cooperation in the field of transportation and transit. Ghasemi met and held talks with Serik Zhumangarin here in Tehran on Monday. He said that the two countries agreed on signing an MoU to increase cooperation in the field of transportation and transit, including three critical issues of digitalizing customs, equalizing tariffs, and issuing visas for Iranian drivers and businessmen. Referring to the recent meeting among Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, as well as the trilateral agreement to facilitate the issue of transportation and transit, he noted that Kazakhstan is on the train route from China to Turkmenistan and Iran, and agreements have been made with Kazakhstan's Minister of Commerce to facilitate traffic on this route. Stating that the transit volume between Iran and Kazakhstan is currently 1 million tons per year, he added that it is expected an increase to 4 million tons by inking the joint agreement between the two countries. Zhumangarin, for his part, highlighted that Iran and Kazakhstan agreed on transit issues and set a roadmap for dismantling problems among Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, which was recently agreed at a joint meeting. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish