Uzbekistan International Affairs - The Times Of Central Asia

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Middle East Crisis

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Send Humanitarian Aid to Iran

Tajikistan is sending a convoy of 110 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Iran, which has been targeted by heavy U.S. and Israeli air strikes in a war that started on February 28. The dispatch of aid follows similar deliveries by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Central Asian countries are aiming for neutrality in the Mideast war, maintaining ties with the Iranian government even as they profess support for Gulf Arab states that have been targeted by Iranian drones and missiles. Iran’s relationships with countries to the east range from the close cultural affinity that it enjoys with Tajikistan to sometimes tense interactions with Azerbaijan, which has a military partnership with Israel. The trucks from Tajikistan left for Iran on Wednesday and “will soon arrive in the friendly and brotherly country,” Tajikistan’s government said, without providing details about how the aid will be distributed. The convoy would likely travel through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to reach the northeastern Iranian border. The aid “comprises 3,610 tons of cargo, including 45 tons of medicines, a large volume of sanitary and hygienic products, children's clothing, various food products, household items, bedding, tents, building materials, and other necessary supplies,” Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon posted a photo on social media that showed a long line of aid trucks on a highway. Turkmenistan, which shares a border with Iran, has said it sent humanitarian aid, mainly for distribution to children. It appeared to allude to the war, saying that “supporting and assisting close neighbors in difficult times is a noble tradition of the Turkmen people, rooted in ancient times.” Uzbekistan has sent trucks carrying flour, rice, sugar, pasta, sunflower oil, canned goods and medical supplies to Iran. Azerbaijan, which borders northwest Iran, has also dispatched truckloads of humanitarian aid to Iran, according to Ali Alizada, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Iran. Azerbaijan previously said it was evacuating staff from its embassy in Tehran as well as its consulate in the Iranian city of Tabriz, after accusing Iran of drone attacks on its territory.

Uzbek Diaspora

Uzbek Woman Killed in Traffic Accident in New York

A citizen of Uzbekistan has died following a traffic accident in New York City. The incident occurred on March 10 and resulted in the death of 31-year-old Nilufar Komilova, according to Uzbekistan’s state news agency Dunyo. Preliminary information cited by the agency indicates that the accident involved a dump truck operated by the New York City Department of Transportation. The crash took place in the Kew Gardens neighborhood in the borough of Queens. Police told the New York Daily News that Komilova was struck by a yellow Mack dump truck as it made a right turn from Metropolitan Avenue onto Lefferts Boulevard shortly before 9 a.m. She died at the scene. Akobir Azizov, described as a close family friend, told the newspaper that Komilova had just taken her seven-year-old daughter to school and was walking home when the accident occurred about two blocks from her apartment. “She usually takes Lefferts Boulevard,” Azizov said. “She always followed traffic rules. She would wait for the signal to cross the street.” Komilova is survived by two children, a three-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter. Azizov said relatives have struggled to explain the tragedy to them. According to the report, Komilova’s husband, who works as a driver for the ride-hailing service Uber, became aware of the accident after trying unsuccessfully to contact her. Uzbek officials said the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in New York is in regular contact with the family and is providing consular and legal assistance. The diplomatic mission has also expressed condolences. The incident follows another fatal traffic accident involving an Uzbek national earlier this year. On February 5, an 11-year-old girl from Uzbekistan was struck by a school bus in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn and later died at Maimonides Medical Center. In February, Uzbekistan introduced amendments to its law “On Burial and Funeral Services,” published on the government legal portal Lex.uz. The changes allow state financial assistance for transporting the remains of Uzbek citizens who die abroad, a measure aimed at easing the financial burden on migrant families.

EAEU

Growing Trade Disputes Test the Eurasian Economic Union

Trade disputes within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are as old as its creation. Restrictions on the import and export of certain goods have long been common practice. However, analysts increasingly warn that tensions have reached a point at which the organization risks losing its core function, ensuring the free movement of goods across borders and maintaining simplified conditions for migrant workers. Mounting Restrictions The EAEU currently comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Economic integration among several post-Soviet states began in 2000 with the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), formed by Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan joined in 2006, but suspended its participation in 2008. The foundation of this organization was the Customs Union agreement, intended to abolish customs duties among member states. The structure of the integration project has since evolved. The EAEU treaty was signed in 2014 and entered into force on January 1, 2015. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan did not join, while Armenia became a member in 2015. More than two decades after the first integration agreements, however, many of the bloc’s original promises remain only partially fulfilled. Experts have long argued that protectionist measures remain widespread within the bloc and that full freedom of movement for all categories of goods, including strategic products, has not been achieved. They also point to pronounced economic asymmetry: Russia accounts for approximately 85–87% of the union’s combined GDP, whereas Kazakhstan accounts for approximately 9–10%. Russia’s significantly larger population and political influence have further reinforced perceptions of structural imbalance. Moscow is now preparing new regulatory measures affecting its partners. From April 1, 2026, a national system for confirming the arrival of goods will be introduced for road imports from EAEU countries. According to the Russian authorities, shifting key control procedures to the pre-border stage is intended to improve transparency in the administration of indirect taxes. Previously, such checks were conducted after goods entered the country through desk and field audits. At the same time, Russia has intensified selective customs controls on its borders with Kazakhstan and Belarus, officially citing efforts to combat counterfeit goods. Particular scrutiny is being applied to product labelling and accompanying documentation. Controls were tightened last summer, when mobile checkpoints were established along the Kazakh-Russian border, followed by the inspections of vehicles leaving Belarus in the autumn. Full-scale checkpoints are now operating on the Kazakh-Russian border, while a simplified regime linked to the Union State and EAEU agreements continues to apply on the Belarusian-Russian border. Logistics industry representatives report that stricter controls on the Kazakh border have significantly increased transit delivery times. Carriers often face lengthy delays at checkpoints even when their documentation is in order. According to Alexandra Pokumeiko, head of a freight-forwarding department, the changes have created uncertainty in delivery schedules along Belarus-Russia transport corridors and on transit routes through Russia to Kazakhstan. The growing number of administrative restrictions has begun to spill into specific sectors of the economy, triggering retaliatory measures between member states. Escalating Tensions in the Automotive Sector A new dispute...

Israel

Uzbekistan-Born Israeli Citizen Killed in Rocket Strike Near Tel Aviv

A 62-year-old man born in Uzbekistan was killed in a rocket strike at a construction site in the Israeli city of Yehud on March 9, according to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Israel. The victim, Rustam Gulomov, had been living in Israel for the past 14 years. The embassy stated that he renounced his Uzbek citizenship in 2017 and subsequently obtained Israeli citizenship. Information about the incident first appeared in several media reports and on social media following the rocket attack on the construction site where Gulomov was working. The embassy later confirmed his identity and expressed condolences to his family and relatives. “As of March 11, the embassy has not received information about any injuries among citizens of Uzbekistan,” the diplomatic mission said in a statement. At the same time, the embassy warned that the security situation in Israel remains tense and urged Uzbek nationals in the country to strictly follow safety instructions and respond promptly to official warning signals. The diplomatic mission also called on Uzbek citizens working temporarily or residing permanently in Israel to pay close attention to air-raid alerts and comply with all emergency safety regulations. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan continues efforts to repatriate its citizens from several countries in the Middle East. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a total of 25,047 Uzbek nationals had returned to the country as of March 10. Officials said the majority were evacuated from Saudi Arabia, where 21,017 people were repatriated. Additional returns included 3,555 citizens from the United Arab Emirates, 394 from Qatar, 47 from Iran, 27 from Bahrain, and seven from Oman. The ministry noted that repatriation efforts are being conducted in stages, with evacuation flights mainly organised through countries whose airspace remains open to civilian aviation.

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Informal OTS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Tests Limits of Turkic Coordination

Escalating tensions linked to the widening conflict in the Middle East have tested the political cohesion of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), according to Kazakh political commentator Dzhanibek Suleyev. Recent incidents affecting both Azerbaijan and Turkey — including drone strikes in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and a missile intercepted by Turkish air defenses — have raised security concerns across the wider region. Suleyev argues that developments of this scale might normally prompt an urgent summit of heads of state. Instead, Turkey convened an informal meeting of foreign ministers and senior diplomatic representatives from OTS member states. The gathering took place on March 7, when officials convened at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to Turkish media, ministers later met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during their visit. Speaking to The Times of Central Asia, Suleyev drew attention to how the meeting was covered in the media of Central Asian member states. “In the Uzbek press, coverage was limited, and even on the website of their Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is not a single word about the informal summit of OTS foreign ministers. Kazakhstan, moreover, was represented not by Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev but by his deputy Alibek Bakayev. Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry issued four notes about the trip of its minister Jeenbek Kulubaev to Istanbul, three of which were devoted to the summit, but without any particular details,” Suleyev said. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry published a short summary of the meeting, noting in broad terms that representatives discussed cooperation among Turkic states and regional developments. According to Suleyev, the joint statement adopted after the meeting was difficult to find outside of Azerbaijani media. One of the few outlets to publish the text in full was Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. Much of the statement focused on the incidents affecting Azerbaijan and Turkey, stressing that “any threat to the security of OTS member states causes concern for the entire Organization… The ministers strongly condemned the attacks carried out from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including strikes against civilian facilities and the territory of the Republic of Turkey,” the statement continued. “The rest of the statement boils down to destabilization in the Middle East could lead to a global economic crisis, the Palestinian conflict must be resolved taking into account UN resolutions, and so on,” Suleyev told TCA. One notable event during the meeting was the foreign ministers’ reception by President Erdoğan. Official summaries released by participating governments described the discussion in diplomatic terms. “Kazakh sources wrote that ‘prospects for the development of cooperation within the framework of Turkic cooperation were discussed,’” Suleyev said. Kyrgyz statements used similar language, stating that the “President of Turkey… noted the importance of regular dialogue on current regional and international issues and expressed interest in further developing multilateral cooperation within the framework of the Organization.” “In short, these are streamlined diplomatic formulations without specific details,” Suleyev said. According to a press...

Middle East Crisis

Uzbekistan Repatriates Over 21,700 Citizens from Middle East

Uzbekistan has repatriated 21,712 citizens from several Middle Eastern countries as of 07:00 on March 9, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said, as evacuation efforts continue amid regional instability. Most of those returned came from Saudi Arabia, where 17,963 citizens were brought back to Uzbekistan. Additional repatriations included 3,290 people from the United Arab Emirates, 378 from Qatar, 47 from Iran, 27 from Bahrain, and seven from Oman. The ministry said the return of Uzbek citizens is being carried out “systematically and in stages,” with authorities continuing to coordinate transport and logistics for those seeking to return. Officials noted that many repatriation flights are currently being organized through countries whose airspace remains open to civilian aviation. Uzbekistan’s evacuation reflects the scale of its citizens’ presence across the Gulf. In recent years, the country has expanded labor migration agreements with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, sending thousands of workers into construction, hospitality, and service sectors. Saudi Arabia has also become a major destination for religious travel from Uzbekistan, with large annual flows of pilgrims traveling for the Hajj and Umrah. Kazakhstan has also evacuated citizens during the crisis, bringing 8,585 people home from Middle Eastern countries since the operation began. Central Asian citizens travel widely to Gulf states for work, tourism, and pilgrimage, leaving thousands affected when conflicts disrupt flights and close regional airspace. The number of returned citizens has risen steadily over the past several days. According to the foreign ministry, 19,347 Uzbek citizens had returned home as of 07:00 on March 8. Uzbek diplomatic missions in the region have also issued safety guidance to citizens who remain abroad. In a statement published by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Israel, citizens were urged to follow official security instructions issued by local authorities. The embassy said red alerts issued by Israel’s civil defense authorities indicate a dangerous situation and require people to stay near protected shelters and immediately enter them if warning sirens sound. Blue alerts indicate that the threat has passed, and people may leave shelters. Other Central Asian countries have also organized evacuations of their citizens. According to Tajik media outlet Asia-Plus, more than 300 citizens of Tajikistan returned home on March 8 on two flights from Dubai. One charter flight brought 130 Tajik citizens to Dushanbe in the morning, while a later flight operated by Somon Air transported another 180 passengers. The charter operation was organized with support from the Tajik embassy in the United Arab Emirates, local authorities, and the airline Flydubai. About 550 Tajik citizens have returned home from Abu Dhabi and Dubai on charter flights in recent days amid the ongoing regional conflict.