This is a big lesson for many countries - President on situation in Iran

During a briefing, journalists asked whether the absence of talks with the President of Iran signaled Kazakhstan’s shift from its traditionally neutral stance and support for Arab countries.

The Head of State said that Kazakhstan’s position remains unchanged: the country advocates for peaceful and diplomatic resolution of all conflicts.

“Kazakhstan is known for its peaceful policy. We have always advocated that all conflicts should be resolved through peaceful, diplomatic means. This position of ours remains unchanged. What has happened in the Middle East has various causes, and I spoke about it at a large gathering recently. Indeed, there were telephone talks with the leaders of the Gulf Arab states, during which we expressed solidarity with those countries,” said the President.

Tokayev also recalled that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had recently paid an official visit to Kazakhstan, leaving a positive impression.

“He is a man of secular views, a cardiac surgeon. I welcomed his statement that Iran would not attack the Gulf Arab states. He even expressed apologies in this regard on behalf of Iran. But later his statements were disavowed, in fact, annulled. Iran attacked and continues to attack the Gulf Arab states. This proves that the President of Iran does not possess full authority. That is a fact. I am not blaming anyone, I am simply stating facts. And I believe this is connected to the peculiarities of Iran’s power structure. On the one hand, there is religious authority that determines the main directions and makes decisions. On the other hand, there is the President, who formally is the head of state, but in reality is not the key figure,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Tokayev underlined that dual power should not exist in any country, including Kazakhstan.

“We could not withstand such a system at one time; it nearly undermined stability in our country four years ago. Therefore, I believe this is a big lesson for many nations, including Kazakhstan. As for the Iranian people, we have great sympathy for them. We show unwavering respect for their culture and unique history. Thus, there is no departure from our position. We were and remain a peace-loving country, concluded he.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that the next presidential election will be held in Kazakhstan in 2029.