Iranian, Kazakh Top Diplomats Discuss Closer Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Kazakh counterpart, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, held talks about a range of issues, including ways to boost relations between the two countries in various economic fields.
During the meeting held in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Friday, the two sides stressed the need to implement previous agreements reached between Iran and Kazakhstan in energy, transit, joint investment, and bilateral trade.
Zarif and Abdrakhmanov also highlighted the importance of efforts to facilitate visa for economic activists of the two countries and eliminate problems hampering banking cooperation between Tehran and Baku.
During the session, the two top diplomats also exchanged views about the latest developments in the region and the world.
Zarif arrived in Astana to attend a meeting with his Russian and Turkish counterparts about Syria peace talks.
The meeting is expected to make arrangements for a summit involving the presidents of Iran, Russia, and Turkey in Istanbul on April 4.
In mid-September last year, the three countries, which together act as guarantor states in peace talks for Syria, agreed on the details of four “de-escalation zones” in the Arab country, including in Idlib, during peace talks in Astana.
The fifth zone is expected to reduce tension in Syria's Afrin border region.
The de-escalation zones are aimed at separating extremist groups, including Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham -- formerly known as al-Nusra Front -- from other militants.
