President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei said that transportation problems are the main obstacle on the way of expanding trade ties with Kazakhstan.
Shafei made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev.
The Iran Chamber of Commerce president said that the presence of Iran and Kazakhstan in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) provides a chance for enhancement of economic cooperation that has to be seized by the private sectors of both nations.
He referred to a measure taken by Iran and Kazakhstan which provides businesspeople from both sides with a 14-day cancellation of visa requirements, urging the need for issuing long-term visas.
The Kazakhstani official, for his part, said that Iran is the key route for his country to access Turkey and the Middle East countries.
The economies of Iran and Kazakhstan complement each other, Torebayev said, adding that his country is after further promotion of ties with Iran in the area of fishery, fruits and vegetables.
He also referred to some logistic problems between Iran and Kazakhstan, saying that Kazakhstani drivers face difficulty for entering and passing through the Iranian soil.
The official also expressed hope that the two countries will witness $3 billion of bilateral trade.