TEHRAN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranian and Kazakh officials on Sunday signed nine agreements in Tehran to strengthen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, said the Iranian presidency.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his visiting Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended the signing ceremony of the memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on transportation, scientific and cultural exchanges, energy, agriculture as well as trade and economy.
Speaking at a joint press conference live broadcasted on state TV, Raisi said the two sides have existing potential to increase further cooperation.
"In addition to bilateral relations, we are determined to expand our relations at the regional level," he said, adding Iran and Kazakhstan share views on some regional and global issues, for example, on the consensus for an inclusive government formation in Afghanistan.
"We also agree that the presence of foreigners in the region does not create security and will cause many problems," he added.
For his part, Tokayev said the two countries have seen progressing diplomatic relations and "good cooperation in the framework of regional structures."
Referring to his two-day official visit, he said the two leaders discussed a vast host of issues on Sunday and both sides are particularly interested in using the transit capacity along railway corridors which would connect east to west and north to south.
The president of Kazakhstan announced the issuance of a 14-day visa waiver for the Iranians who want to travel to his country.
Tokayev visited Tehran on Sunday at the official invitation of his Iranian counterpart, a day after the first freight train of a new railway corridor connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey arrived in Tehran, according to official IRNA news agency.
The two presidents met last year on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tajikistan, during which they agreed to increase bilateral cooperation, including rail cooperation. ■
