The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific

Kazakhstan’s Pragmatic Foreign Policy Faces Uncertainty Amid Attacks Across the Middle East

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev has steered a pragmatic foreign policy through the recent wave of missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, opting for neutrality while maintaining diplomatic channels with Iran, Israel, Gulf states and the United States. He reached out to leaders of the affected countries, expressed solidarity with Gulf nations, but stopped short of publicly supporting Iran despite recent bilateral trade growth. The country’s economic ties—such as supplying roughly 30 percent of Israel’s crude‑oil imports and joining the Abraham Accords—underscore a strategy that prioritizes trade stability over taking sides. As the conflict escalates, Kazakhstan’s balanced approach faces uncertainty but remains anchored in preserving regional economic partnerships.