In an interview with The Financial Times Nazarbayev said, “Kazakhstan would like to construct a pipeline through Iran to the Persian Gulf as the main outlet for its natural resources. A southern route for [our] oil reserves [is] the most attractive both for [Kazakhstan] and for U.S. companies that operated [here].”
“It would be better than Baku-Ceyhan, better than China, better than Russia. It would be the best exit for us,” added Nazarbayev, who admitted such a pipeline would not be possible due to the political tensions between the US and Iran.