TEHRAN: Diplomatic officials from Iran and Kazakhstan agreed on reciprocal visa-free trips for the nationals of the two countries who travel in groups. Following talks between Director General of Consular Affairs of Iranian Foreign Ministry Ali Chegini and his Kazakh counterpart in Astana, the two sides agreed that Iranian and Kazakh tourists travelling in groups of 5 to 50 will not need a visa anymore. They also agreed to grant merchants of the two countries visas with extended validity, enabling them to stay longer in the destination country without having to go through red-tape.
The new arrangements follow talks between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in December 2016. At the time, they decided to eliminate visa requirements for the two sides’ business people by February 2017. President Rouhani also unveiled plans then for direct flights between Tehran and Astana, saying Iran has made preparations for special customs services for Kazakhstan in border markets.
