BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 25
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
Kazakhstan is considering easing visa rules for Iranian traders and travelers as of the next spring, Kazakh Ambassador to Tehran Askhat Orazbay said, Trend reports referring to ISNA news agency.
Kazakhstan is expected to sign a visa facilitation agreement with Iran in the spring of 2020, based on which Iranian tourist groups will be granted entry visas without the need of invitation letter from the host, Orazbay noted.
Moreover, 90-day visas will be issued for Iranian businessmen and traders, the ambassador said.
The agreement will not make a change in visa fee, which has been $60 for nationals from all countries, Orazbay noted.
“The number of foreign arrivals in Kazakhstan is low, because we had never cared about tourism before, and other industries were more important to our country, but now we are more turned into tourism as an easier approach to earn money,” the ambassador said. “That is why we have defined a tourist zone in Kazakhstan, and we are trying to attract more tourists by facilitating the visa.”
Orazbay added that direct flights between the two countries are expected to be increased by 2020. The ambassador said that currently, one flight a week is operated between the two countries.
Orazbay noted that Iran wants to launch direct flights from Iran’s Golestan province to Kazakhstan, adding that however, Iran’s airlines that announced this flight are on the US sanctions list.
“We are in discussions with [Iranian] Kish Airlines,” the ambassador said. “If the agreement is reached, Kish Airlines will operate Gorgan-Aktau flights.”
Orazbay added that Air Astana company stopped flights to Iran because Kazakhstan has no international banking ties with the country.
The US imposed sanctions on Iran in November 2018 and expanded the list of sanctions several times. These sanctions have strongly affected Iran’s economy and trade.