Rouhani stresses Iran’s ties with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has highlighted the country’s political will to enhance relations with Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

In a meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek on Thursday, the Iranian president expressed hope that the two countries would further boost cordial ties on all fronts in keeping with mutual interests.

During the meeting, which took place ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, the Iranian and Kyrgyz presidents also exchanged views on ways of forging closer cooperation as well as the latest regional and international developments.

The Kyrgyz president, for his part, said that his country seeks close partnership with Iran, particularly in the economic sector.

He expressed hope that Tehran and Bishkek would work together closely to further bolster bilateral relations.

The Iranian president held a separate meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev on Tuesday.

The two men discussed Tehran-Astana relations and the most pressing regional and international issues.

They also reviewed ways of developing closer cooperation.

The Iranian president arrived in Bishkek on Thursday at the head of a delegation to take part in the SCO summit.

The SCO is an intergovernmental security organization founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan have an observer status at the organization.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif; Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh; and Rouhani’s Chief of Staff Mohammad Nahavandian are accompanying the president during his two-day trip to the Central Asian country.