(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan and Iran plan to increase trade turnover between the countries to $3 billion, said Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov during a meeting with the Ambassador of Iran to Kazakhstan, Jowkar Ali Akbar, Trend reports.

The parties emphasized the need to take measures aimed at enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

"Iran is one of Kazakhstan's strategic partners. Our countries face a task set by the leaders of the two states to bring trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran to $3 billion," Kuantyrov said.

In turn, the ambassador invited the minister to take part in the Caspian Economic Forum, which is planned to be held in the near future in Tehran.

During the forum, it is planned to discuss key issues of multilateral cooperation between the Caspian states, including economics, finance, energy, transport, etc.

"Strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan is one of the main priorities of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our countries have enormous potential to take trade and economic cooperation to a new level," he added.

In 2022, bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran amounted to $521.4 million, which is 18.3 percent higher than in 2021.

Kazakhstan's exports to Iran during this period amounted to $310 million, and imports from Iran to Kazakhstan amounted to $212 million.

From January through June of this year, trade turnover between the countries amounted to $215.1 million.

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