Speaking during the Minister of Roads and Urban Development's visit to Kazakhstan, Shakibi Nasab detailed the maritime transport negotiations conducted with Kazakh officials, stating that the two countries' cooperation capacities in the maritime and port sectors were thoroughly examined.

Kazakhstan's Geostrategic Position in Port Cooperation with Iran

The PMO managing director highlighted Kazakhstan's strategic position, noting that the country, spanning over 2.7 million square kilometers, connects to China via the Khorgos Dry Port in the east and to maritime routes through the ports of Aktau and Kuryk in the west. "Kazakhstan has trans-regional connectivity with Europe and Iran and is recognized as a major logistics hub," he said.

During the visit, Iranian officials inspected the ports of Kuryk and Aktau, assessing their capacities and the volume of their interactions with Iranian ports. Discussions also covered cooperation in customs clearance procedures and accelerating the exit of Iranian goods.

Caspian Shipping Cooperation and Private Sector Role

Shakibi Nasab noted that the formation of a consortium to monitor and address the declining water level of the Caspian Sea, as well as joint actions by Caspian littoral states, were discussed. The establishment of a regular shipping line in the Caspian Sea between the ports of Aktau and Kuryk and Iran's northern ports was also a key topic.

"Most of the issues raised were agreed upon with the Kazakh side. It was decided that the process of resolving private sector challenges would be facilitated through new policies. Kazakhstan is now on the verge of signing the logistics center agreement at Shahid Rajaee Port in July," he stated.