Kazakhstan and Iran Strengthen Logistics Links Along the North–South Corridor

Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate the development of transport corridors and port infrastructure. During negotiations, the Iranian side announced that the approval process for allocating a land plot to Kazakhstan at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas has been completed. Following the completion of the necessary procedures, the site will be transferred to the Kazakh side.

Iran also confirmed its readiness to provide Kazakhstan with opportunities to operate at Chabahar Port, which offers direct access to the markets of South and Southeast Asia. According to Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, construction of the Zahedan–Chabahar railway line is more than 90% complete, and the facility is expected to be commissioned in the coming months. Once launched, the railway line will integrate Chabahar Port into the international railway network connecting the Indian Ocean, Central Asia, and Europe.

In response, Kazakhstan stated its readiness to consider providing Iranian companies with port areas, berths, and terminals at the ports of Aktau and Kuryk to expand their logistics activities on the Caspian Sea.

The information was released by the press service of the Government of Kazakhstan following a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and a delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh. The parties reviewed the implementation of agreements reached during the official visit of the President of Iran to Kazakhstan in December 2025 and discussed the development of the North–South International Transport Corridor, modernization of port infrastructure, expansion of bilateral trade, and strengthening of transport and logistics cooperation.

According to Serik Zhumangarin, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran increased by 26.4% in 2025, reaching USD 430.2 million. He noted significant potential for further trade expansion, including through the roadmap aimed at increasing bilateral trade to USD 3 billion and through the Free Trade Agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Kazakhstan and Iran occupy strategic positions at the intersection of the North–South and East–West transport routes, creating additional opportunities for the growth of transit transportation. In 2025, cargo volumes along the North–South Corridor increased by 12% to 3.5 million tons. Railway freight transportation between the two countries rose by 69%.

To further develop the route, Serik Zhumangarin proposed preparing a joint roadmap for transport infrastructure modernization. According to him, implementation of the proposed measures would increase the corridor’s capacity to 20 million tons per year.

The participants also highlighted the importance of the five-party railway agreement between China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye, as well as the upcoming signing of a four-party tariff agreement between Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran, which is expected to facilitate further growth in trade and transit transportation.

Following the talks, both sides confirmed their intention to accelerate the implementation of existing agreements, strengthen coordination on attracting investments, and continue developing transport and logistics infrastructure.