ALMATY (Dispatches) – Iran’s First Vice President Muhammad Reza Aref has underscored the importance of bolstering economic and trade cooperation with Kazakhstan during a meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
In the Thursday meeting, Aref highlighted the need for more active joint commissions between the two nations.    
Upon an official invitation from Bektenov, Iran’s first vice president arrived here to attend the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Prime Ministers’ Summit and the Almaty Digital Summit 2025, held through January 31 to February 1.  
Iran, which recently gained observer status in the EAEU, is seeking to deepen ties with the economic bloc.
The EAEU, established in 2015, comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, and aims to promote economic integration through a unified market for goods, services, capital, and labor. 
Aref emphasized the cultural and civilizational commonalities between Iran and Kazakhstan, noting the potential for expanded collaboration in tourism and cultural exchanges.
He also extended an invitation to Bektenov to attend the upcoming Caspian summit, scheduled to take place in Tehran at the end of February. 
Highlighting Iran’s advancements in information technology, Aref expressed Tehran’s readiness to share expertise in emerging technologies with neighboring countries. 
In response, Bektenov congratulated Iran on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through enhanced joint commissions. 
Iran and Kazakhstan have historically maintained strong relations, with shared interests in energy, transport, and trade.
Iran’s strategic geographic position offers Kazakhstan access to southern ports, facilitating trade routes such as the North-South Transport Corridor. Conversely, Kazakhstan’s EAEU membership provides Iran with a gateway to Central Asian markets. 
In a meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko later on Thursday, Aref underscored the importance of deepening comprehensive relations between Iran and Belarus. 
He emphasized the need to strengthen and activate the joint cooperation commission between the two nations, reaffirming Iran’s readiness to enhance bilateral ties.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is keen on fostering comprehensive relations with countries that share political, cultural, and historical commonalities,” stated Aref. 
He also highlighted the critical role of the private sector in ensuring the sustainability and growth of trade relations between Iran and Belarus.
Prime Minister Golovchenko echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need to increase trade volumes between the two countries. 
“The Joint Commission for Cooperation between Iran and Belarus has been successfully held, and it is imperative to elevate the volume of trade and economic exchanges to align with the high-level political relations,” he said.
Golovchenko also congratulated Iran on its recent accession as an observer member of the EAEU, noting that Tehran’s inclusion significantly enhances the “economic and political dynamics of the bloc.” 
The meeting underscored the mutual commitment of both nations to expanding cooperation across various sectors, with a focus on strengthening economic ties and leveraging shared historical and cultural affinities.
Aref separately expressed Iran’s resolve to strengthen relations with Kyrgyzstan in different fields.
“Tehran-Bishkek relations have been growing over the past decades, and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran firmly believes in expanding ties with Kyrgyzstan,” Aref said during a meeting with the Central Asian country’s Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev on Friday.
Aref also hailed Iran’s extensive cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in the fields of economy, trade, and transportation, emphasizing the need for closer scientific and technological partnership.  
In addition to implementing existing agreements, he added that the two countries should work towards activating their joint cooperation commission.
Aref noted that the membership of Iran and Kyrgyzstan in regional organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and the EAEU provides a good opportunity for both countries to deepen their ties.
He stressed that the Iran-Kyrgyzstan cultural and historical commonalities could lead to more consultations between the two sides on regional issues and reinforce their joint positions in international forums.
He also invited the Kyrgyz prime minister to participate in the Caspian Summit, which will be held in the Iranian capital of Tehran on February 18.
Kasymaliev, for his part, said that his country attaches great importance to friendly ties with Iran and that it stands ready to hold constructive talks with Tehran.

He further hoped that Iranian investment in Kyrgyzstan would increase. Kasymaliev said Iran’s cooperation has been developing within the EAEU framework, adding that all the bloc’s member states are keen on expanding their relations with Iran.
Last month, Iran became an observer member of the EAEU which has a combined GDP of nearly $5 trillion.