Iran arranges diplomatic visit to Abraham Accords member Kazakhstan
SETH J. FRANTZMAN
Wed, December 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM UTC
3 min read
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian's trip is part of a broader Iranian outreach to countries in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian prepared for his trip to Kazakhstan on Wednesday morning. Iranian state media IRNA says he “is scheduled to depart Tehran for Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a two-day tour of Central Asia which will later take him to Turkmenistan.”
The trip is part of a broader Iranian outreach to countries in Central Asia. Kazakhstan announced it would join the Abraham Accords in early November. Israel maintains positive ties with several countries in Central Asia.
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The five countries that historically make up Central Asia are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. In 2022, Iran opened a drone factory in Tajikistan.
The Central Asia countries were once part of the Soviet Union. Since the 1990s, they have faced various outreach efforts by regional countries. For instance, some of them have seen increased interest from Turkey in forming ties with Turkish-speaking countries.
They also have ties with China and Russia. During the US involvement in Afghanistan, some benefited from US interests. However, since the US withdrawal, they have felt a power vacuum. Iran is one country that wants to step into the vacuum.
Iranian state media said thatIran’s president will also attend a conference in Turkmenistan. The confab is called the “International Year of Peace and Trust,” where he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with a number of leaders from other participating countries, IRNA said.
Iranian outreach efforts seek to expand diplomatic relationships in the region
Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei, Chief of Staff to the Iranian President, discussed details of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s upcoming two-day trip to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. IRNA noted that “speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, Haji-Mirzaei explained that the president’s first stop will be Kazakhstan for an official bilateral visit. According to the official, several cooperation agreements focused on expanding trade between the two countries are set to be signed during this trip.”
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The report noted that he added “that a delegation of ministers will accompany President Pezeshkian, engaging in follow-up meetings and negotiations in key areas including transportation, commerce, and economic cooperation. Haji-Mirzaei also noted that a large delegation from Iran’s Chamber of Commerce has already traveled to Kazakhstan ahead of the visit.” Iran seeks to discuss partnerships in several areas in Kazakhstan. “A joint meeting with Iranian and Kazakh merchants, attended by the president, is also scheduled, he added.” In Turkmenistan, it appears that the Iranian leader will “deliver an official address at the event and hold bilateral meetings with a number of presidents and prime ministers. Further details of the meetings will be released afterward.”
The report comes amidst Iranian outreach to Belarus, Armenia, and Russia. For instance, Iranian state media also revealed that “Iranian and Russian parliamentarians have discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries, emphasizing that such collaboration would help promote peace in the region and beyond amid unilateral policies pursued by Western governments.” In addition, Khalil Shirgholami, Iran's new ambassador to Armenia, met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday before departing for his mission. Iran’s Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref also says Iran has “no limitations” on developing relations with Belarus.