Iranian foreign minister tours Aqtau port during visit to Kazakhstan

(IRNA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki toured Aqtau port city before ending his two-day visit to Kazakhstan during which he discussed major bilateral, regional and international developments with senior Kazakh officials, reported the Foreign Ministry's Information Center on Saturday.

The center, in a statement, said that Mottaki toured Aqtau port city in western Kazakhstan on the Caspian Sea coast as it plays a significant role in the country's economy.

Aqtau is Kazakhstan's only port and 50 percent of the county's oil reserves are in this city, said the statement, reports Trend.

Aside from discussing the possibility of opening an Iranian consulate in Aqtau as well as promoting cooperation between the port city and Iran's northern provinces, the minister also met with a number of Iranians living in Aqtau.

He also discussed with Kazakh officials the mutual transit of goods from Aqtau to the Persian Gulf via Iranian territory, and conveyed Tehran's willingness to increase oil swaps with Kazakhstan.

During his stay in Kazakhstan, Mottaki met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Takayev and Parliament Speaker Oral Muhammedcanov.

He also attended the 8th session of the Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Economic Commission and signed a number of agreements and protocols.