ALMATY -- Iran's Minister of Economy and Finance Tahmasb Mazaheri has said Iran will continue wheat purchase from Kazakhstan in the future, IRNA reported.

Mazaheri told Kazakh Khabar TV correspondent in Tehran on Tuesday that Iran used to make up for its wheat shortage through imports from Europe, Australia and Canada but it has in recent years turned to Kazakhstan for a considerable portion of the imports.

The TV said Iran turned the first major purchaser of foodstuff from the Central Asian republics last year for import of 750,000 tons of wheat.

The minister said Iran would give priority to Kazakhstan in wheat purchase if the product were of high quality at conventional price.

He asked Kazakhstan to export its wheat to global markets via Iran.