Iran - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 275

U.S. Sanctions

U.S. Sanctions Tajik National Over Alleged Role in Iran’s Efforts to Buy Missiles

The United States has imposed sanctions on Alisher Domullodzhanov, a native of Dushanbe whom the State Department accuses of involvement in Iran’s efforts to obtain man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS). The November 4 designation falls under Executive Order 13949, which targets individuals and companies involved in Iran’s conventional arms trade. The State Department identified Domullodzhanov as based in Russia but gave no details of his alleged role. According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Domullodzhanov was born on November 29, 1989, and is a national of both Tajikistan and Russia. His sanctions listing also gives his full name, Alisher Hairulloevich Domullodzhanov, and an address in Ramensky District in the Moscow region. Washington also applied the order to Mohammed Ali Tolibov, chief executive of the Belarus-based company Armory Alliance LLC, and Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited, a Nigeria-based company. Both were already under U.S. sanctions. The State Department said Armory Alliance sought to broker the purchase of hundreds of MANPADS from companies in China for buyers in Iran. The department accused Vanguard of trying to obtain Chinese-made missiles for Iran by falsely identifying their intended recipients. These portable surface-to-air missiles are designed to strike low-flying aircraft, including helicopters. A single person can operate them, and their proliferation poses a threat to civilian aviation. The November measures followed U.S. sanctions on May 8, June 10, and July 15, 2026, targeting alleged Iranian military procurement networks. Washington said the latest designations also support enforcement of the arms restrictions restored when the United Nations Security Council reimposed sanctions on Iran in September 2025. Under OFAC’s asset-blocking rules, the designated parties’ property and interests in property are blocked if they are in the United States or in the possession or control of a U.S. person. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from doing business with those listed. The restrictions also apply to any entity in which one or more blocked parties hold a combined ownership stake of at least 50%, directly or indirectly.

Trade Routes

Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Turkmenistan, Seeking Closer Ties

Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi is leading a diplomatic and economic delegation on a visit to Turkmenistan this week, according to Iranian state media. Araghchi will travel to Ashgabat on Monday for talks with Turkmen officials on “areas of mutual interest,” reported the Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA. The report didn’t specify the areas, but Iran has been working to develop its relationships in Central Asia as it faces pressure because of conflict in the Middle East, Western sanctions, and disruption to its trade routes. On October 26, Araghchi and Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov spoke by phone about “continuing diplomatic consultations and political efforts to de-escalate tensions and establish lasting stability and security in the region,” Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Turkmenistan has a policy of permanent neutrality under which it commits to staying out of military alliances, promoting peaceful relations and not getting involved in other countries’ affairs. In July, it issued an unusually sharp statement after an attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea that the Iranian government blamed on Ukraine. The Turkmen government described the attack as unacceptable. The Caspian Sea is critical to Turkmenistan’s efforts to expand its role as a transit point on the Middle Corridor, a trade network linking China and Central Asia to Europe via rail and maritime links. The country’s main port is Turkmenbashi. Iran has a long border with Turkmenistan and is also a Caspian Sea littoral state, with its northern port of Amirabad. The sea is an alternative route for some of Iran’s regional trade, including with Russia to the north. Iran also offers Central Asia a southern route for goods to reach the Persian Gulf and beyond, though that route has been disrupted by blockades, restrictions and attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. In another area of collaboration, Iran imports electricity from Turkmenistan to offset shortages in northern Iranian provinces, and the two countries recently discussed expanding and extending the arrangement. They have also worked together on energy swap deals under which Iran would provide natural gas to other countries, including Azerbaijan and Iraq, and receive similar amounts of gas from Turkmenistan in return.

Marine Research

In Ashgabat, Caspian States Discuss Cooperation on Marine Research

Turkmenistan hosted a meeting of the Caspian Sea littoral states to discuss cooperation on marine scientific research, part of a wider effort by the Central Asian country to promote regional collaboration over the fragile, strategic body of water. Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said delegates discussed a draft agreement about research in the Caspian Sea, where countries want to develop large oil and gas reserves while trying to mitigate the impact on the marine environment. The five littoral states are Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. “The current meeting is expected to facilitate further progress in finalizing the remaining provisions of the draft,” the ministry said, noting that the two-day meeting was scheduled to end on Wednesday. It said the initiative on scientific research was first proposed at a Caspian summit in 2018 by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, then president of Turkmenistan. Berdimuhamedov ceded the presidency to his son, Serdar, in 2022, but remains an influential figure and has the official title of National Leader of the Turkmen people. Turkmenistan also advocated collaboration in the Caspian at an oil and gas conference in the capital earlier this month. Myrat Atajanov, director of Turkmenistan’s Caspian Sea Institute, said the region faced the challenge of declining water levels in the sea and the potential risk to offshore platforms, sub-sea pipelines, and coastal infrastructure. “Atajanov stressed that the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea provides a framework for cooperation, while finalizing sector boundaries is essential for geological exploration, field development rights and offshore infrastructure planning,” said the Turkmen Energy Forum, an organizer of the oil and gas conference. Turkmenistan wants the demarcation of Caspian Sea sectors of the various countries to be finalized, saying it would provide legal certainty for offshore energy projects and other investment plans. The Turkmen government wants to expand its role as a transit point on the Middle Corridor, a trade network linking China and Central Asia to Europe via rail and Caspian Sea infrastructure. Earlier this year, the Iranian government submitted the 2018 Caspian convention to the Iranian parliament for ratification after a long delay. Unlike the other countries, Iran's parliament had not ratified the deal. Critics in Iran had argued that the agreement would leave the country at a disadvantage in securing its rights to the sea’s resources. However, Iranian officials showed renewed interest in the convention this year, saying it was a way to strengthen regional cooperation and secure Iran’s maritime rights. The development came amid wider geopolitical tension and pressure on other trade routes, although Tehran said its decision to submit the convention to parliament was not connected to the war.

Diplomatic Protest

Iran Says Samarkand Heritage Posts Targeted U.S.

Iran has said that posts by its embassies about Samarkand’s Persian heritage were directed at the United States. The explanation followed a diplomatic protest from Uzbekistan, which demanded the removal of posts describing the city’s architecture as part of Persian civilization. Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on October 26 that Tehran attaches great importance to its relations with Uzbekistan and views their shared cultural heritage as a foundation of friendship between the two countries. "Some of our colleagues at certain embassies published their messages as an address to the American side," Baghaei explained. In the reported remarks, Baghaei did not specifically address the architectural claims made in the embassy posts. The dispute followed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Samarkand on October 19. Accompanied by Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration, he visited Registan Square, one of Central Asia’s best-known landmarks. Rubio spoke about Samarkand’s historical role in international trade and the region’s importance to relations with Washington. The posts appeared to be a response to a speech Rubio gave in Athens on October 7, in which he recalled the Persian destruction of the Acropolis in 480 BC and sharply criticized Iran’s current leadership. Following Rubio’s visit to Samarkand, Iranian embassies in several countries posted photographs and videos on X showing him in front of the city’s historic monuments, arguing that he was surrounded by the Persian cultural heritage he had attacked earlier that month. Iran’s embassy in Armenia wrote that the site visited by the U.S. secretary of state was part of Persian civilization and architecture. The Iranian diplomatic mission in Zimbabwe described Registan’s arches as a characteristic feature of Iranian-Islamic civilization. On October 23, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Eskandari and delivered a diplomatic note of protest. Tashkent regarded the posts as one-sided and politicized, saying the heritage of Samarkand and other historic Uzbek cities reflected centuries of cultural development and formed part of Uzbekistan’s history. By October 26, Iranian embassies in Armenia, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, Finland, and China had removed the posts, according to Uzbek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Omonulla Fayziev. The dispute touched on the sensitive issue of competing claims to Central Asia’s cultural heritage. Samarkand was one of the centers of ancient Sogdiana and later belonged to states ruled by different dynasties. Persian language and culture played an important role in the city’s life for centuries. Samarkand also remains home to a substantial Tajik population, and Tajik, a variety of Persian, is still widely spoken, particularly in the historic center. The monuments around Registan Square, built between the 15th and 17th centuries, reflect the city’s history under different rulers and the influence of several cultural traditions. Since Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991, they have also become national symbols.

Diplomatic Protest

Iranian Embassy Posts on Samarkand’s Persian Heritage Spark Uzbek Protest

Uzbekistan has lodged a diplomatic protest with Iran over social media posts describing Samarkand's architecture as part of Persian civilization. The posts targeted United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On October 23, Uzbekistan's First Deputy Foreign Minister Bakhromjon Aloyev met with Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Eskandari, who was handed a diplomatic note of protest. Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry described posts published by Iranian diplomatic missions on X as a one-sided and politicized interpretation of Samarkand's history. Tashkent demanded that the posts be removed and that similar incidents be avoided in the future. The dispute followed Rubio's visit to Samarkand on October 19, when he recorded a video in Registan Square highlighting the city's historical role in international trade. Iran's embassy in Armenia described the site where Rubio stood as part of Persian civilization. The embassy in Zimbabwe called Registan's arches a "hallmark of Iranian-Islamic civilization," accusing Rubio of seeking to destroy that heritage. Iran's embassy in Bulgaria also criticized Rubio for disparaging Persian civilization while standing in front of monuments bearing its influence. Earlier, during an October 7 speech in Athens, Rubio recalled the destruction of the Acropolis by the forces of Persian King Xerxes in 480 BCE. He also attacked Iran's current clerical rulers, accusing them of promoting a "cult of death." Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry said that the heritage of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and other historic cities reflects centuries of statehood and cultural development among the Uzbek people. Tashkent objected to the use of the country's history in political disputes between other states. Samarkand has deep ties to the Persian-speaking world. Before the Arab conquest, it was one of the centers of Sogdiana, whose inhabitants spoke a language belonging to the Iranian language family. Persian later became widely used in Central Asian cities, including in literature and scholarship. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, Samarkand was the capital of Timur's empire. Craftsmen from various regions, including Iran and the historic region of Khorasan, participated in the construction of its monumental buildings. The Registan architectural ensemble was built between the 15th and 17th centuries, combining local artistic traditions with those of the wider Islamic world. The concept of Persian civilization encompasses a cultural area much larger than modern Iran. UNESCO describes Samarkand as a crossroads of cultures, reflecting influences from successive civilizations. The Iranian embassies did not make territorial claims against Uzbekistan; their posts concerned cultural and architectural history. Samarkand's heritage has also been a subject of debate within Central Asia. During the Soviet redrawing of Central Asia's internal borders in 1924, Samarkand and Bukhara became part of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Both cities historically had substantial Persian-speaking populations, and Tajik continues to be spoken there today. Historians have also documented Soviet-era pressure on Tajik residents to register as Uzbeks, contributing to longstanding disputes over the cities' ethnic composition. The dispute occurred amid increased U.S. diplomatic engagement in Central Asia. During his visit, Rubio attended a C5+1 meeting with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries. The talks focused on expanding economic...

Fuel Supplies

Tajikistan Holds Fuel Talks With U.S. After Starting Imports From Iran

Tajikistan has discussed fuel supplies with the United States after beginning imports of petroleum products from Iran, whose oil sector is under U.S. sanctions. On October 8, Tajikistan's Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma met with Carson Relitz Rocker, chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy, to discuss the country's petroleum supplies and other issues. Tajikistan depends almost entirely on imports of petroleum products. From January through September 2026, the country imported approximately 1.37 million metric tons of oil, petroleum products, liquefied gas, and related goods worth $1.13 billion. This included 333,200 metric tons of gasoline, 424,800 metric tons of diesel, and 321,300 metric tons of liquefied gas. Russia remains the country's main fuel supplier, accounting for more than half of its imports. It delivered approximately 708,000 metric tons worth $628.9 million over the nine-month period. Dushanbe purchases some of this fuel duty-free under intergovernmental agreements. Kazakhstan, meanwhile, accounts for a significant share of liquefied gas imports, supplying 225,600 metric tons worth $153.8 million. Imports of petroleum products from Iran totaled 15,600 metric tons worth $14.7 million over the nine-month period. In September, Tajikistan's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources confirmed that shipments of Iranian oil and petroleum products had begun in late August. The two sides had previously discussed potential purchases of up to 2.55 million metric tons annually, but this was a proposed volume rather than an existing contract. Tajikistan's authorities have not disclosed the exact composition of the shipments already received or how they were transported to the country. American restrictions cover Iran's oil sector and can affect international payments, insurance, and transportation. An official at the U.S. Department of the Treasury warned in comments to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in early October that companies operating in Iran's petroleum sector face sanctions risks, but declined to comment on specific possible violations. Washington has not publicly accused Tajikistan of breaching sanctions over the shipments. Separately, Tajikistan is preparing to host the third B5+1 Forum, bringing together business representatives and policymakers from the U.S. and the five Central Asian countries. The meeting is scheduled for April 20–21, 2027. It is being organized by the U.S.-based Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) in cooperation with Tajikistan's government. B5+1 complements C5+1, the diplomatic format between the same six countries, and is intended to address trade, investment, and barriers to doing business. Previous forums were held in Almaty in 2024 and Bishkek in February 2026. According to CIPE, more than 15 memorandums were signed between American companies and Central Asian partners at the meeting in the Kyrgyz capital. The forum is expected to build on discussions of critical minerals, transport, and digitalization. However, CIPE has not announced a detailed agenda for the Dushanbe meeting, and there is no indication that American fuel supplies will be discussed.