Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate the development of the North-South international transport corridor and jointly use Kazakh and Iranian sea ports, according to the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy.
The issue was on the agenda of a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin and an Iranian delegation led by Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh.
Zhumangarin emphasized that Iran is one of Kazakhstan’s key trade and economic partners in the region.
“In 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran increased by 26.4%, reaching $430.2 million. This confirms the high potential for further expansion, including through the Roadmap for increasing mutual trade to $3 billion and the signed Free Trade Agreement between Iran and the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union],” Zhumangarin said.
Sadegh emphasized that her visit is aimed at the practical implementation of previously reached agreements and the further strengthening of transport and logistics cooperation, which is particularly important for both countries in the context of current geopolitical processes.
The meeting focused on the development of the North-South transport corridor. The parties noted that Kazakhstan and Iran enjoy a unique geographical location at the intersection of the North-South and East-West routes, creating significant potential for growth in transit traffic.
In 2025, traffic volume along the North-South corridor increased by 12%, reaching 3.5 million tons. Rail traffic between the two countries increased by 69%.
To further unlock the route’s potential, Zhumangarin proposed developing a joint roadmap for the modernization of transport infrastructure. This will increase the corridor’s capacity to 20 million tons per year.
The parties also noted the importance of the recently signed railway agreement between China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey, as well as the upcoming signing of a tariff agreement between Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran, which will create additional conditions for trade and transit growth.
Another issue on the agenda was the development of port infrastructure. The Iranian side announced the completion of negotiations on the allocation of land to Kazakhstan at the port of Bandar Abbas.
Iran has also confirmed its readiness to provide Kazakhstan with opportunities to operate at the port of Chabahar, which provides direct access to markets in South and Southeast Asia.
According to Sadegh, construction of the Zahedan-Chabahar railway line is more than 90% complete, and its launch is scheduled for the coming months. Once the line is fully operational, the port of Chabahar will be integrated into the international railway network linking the Indian Ocean, Central Asia, and Europe.
In response, Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to provide Iranian companies with port space, berths, and terminals in the ports of Aktau and Kuryk on the Caspian coast.
