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Middle East

Technology and Investment: What Kazakhstan Stands to Gain from Its Middle East Outreach

The ongoing escalation in the Middle East, with Iran at its epicenter, appears to be accelerating economic rapprochement between countries in the region and Central Asia. Kazakhstan’s diplomacy has emerged as a key driver of this process. In recent days, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister has visited several Gulf states, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Astana on April 27 for an official visit. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev has visited the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In the UAE, he delivered a written message from Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on bilateral relations, and held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The sides discussed the consequences of Iranian missile strikes on the UAE and other countries, as well as their impact on international shipping security, energy supply, the global economy, and regional stability. Kosherbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s support for the UAE in taking measures to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of citizens and residents. Senior UAE officials responsible for energy and sustainable development also participated in the meeting. In Qatar, the minister met with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Discussions focused on investment cooperation, with both sides emphasizing the importance of implementing joint projects in priority sectors such as energy, telecommunications, digital technologies, agriculture, and transport and logistics. Regional escalation was also addressed, with Kosherbayev reiterating that President Tokayev’s proposal to host peace negotiations in Turkestan remains in place. While in Qatar, the minister also met with the leadership of Power International Holding and Milaha. Talks with Power International Holding Chairman Moutaz Al-Khayyat focused on cooperation in gas processing, natural gas transportation, and electricity generation. Transport and transit issues were central to discussions with Milaha CEO Fahad Saad Al-Qahtani. The parties explored opportunities to develop multimodal transport and expand access to port infrastructure, which could significantly increase cargo transit through Kazakhstan’s Caspian ports. Kazakhstan’s engagement with Middle Eastern countries is increasingly reciprocal. Representatives from the region are also visiting Astana. Recently, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, visited Kazakhstan. President Tokayev, who received him, expressed support for the people of Oman during the current period of regional instability. According to the presidential press service, the sides discussed expanding trade and economic cooperation, with a focus on energy, metallurgy, transport and logistics, agriculture, and digitalization. They also emphasized the importance of strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties. At the conclusion of the meeting, Tokayev awarded Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said the Order of Dostyk (Friendship), First Class, for his contribution to strengthening bilateral cooperation. Kazakhstan and Oman currently maintain a joint portfolio of five major investment projects worth $3 billion. Two projects worth $1.1 billion, covering energy and railway transport, have already been implemented, while additional projects in ore processing are under development. The following day, in the presence of Olzhas Bektenov, Samruk-Kazyna and the Oman Investment Authority signed a Heads of...

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.

Iran

How an Incident on the Azerbaijan-Iran Border Became a Test for Diplomacy in the Region

The drone strike on Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on March 5 has become one of the most serious incidents in relations between Baku and Tehran in recent years. Azerbaijani authorities described the incident as a terrorist act and demanded explanations and an apology from Iran. Tehran, in turn, rejected the accusations, suggesting the possibility of a provocation by “third forces.” Following the drone incident, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss regional security. According to the Azerbaijani presidency, Aliyev thanked Tokayev for condemning the attack on Nakhchivan and for voicing support for Azerbaijan. What began as a local security incident has raised concerns about regional stability in the South Caucasus. Terrorist Act Against the State Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued a statement strongly condemning "this despicable terrorist act. Those who committed it must be brought to justice immediately,” Aliyev said. According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one drone hit the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another crashed near a school in the village of Shekerabad. Two civilians were reportedly injured. Baku stressed that the attack, allegedly launched from Iranian territory, violated international law and could lead to a dangerous escalation of tensions in the region. Diplomatic Escalation Despite the harsh rhetoric in the first hours after the incident, Baku opted to rely primarily on diplomatic tools. The Iranian ambassador was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and handed a formal note of protest requesting official explanations. Azerbaijan said on Friday that it was evacuating staff from its embassy in Tehran as well as its consulate in the city of Tabriz. At the same time, Azerbaijani security forces were placed on high alert. According to Aliyev, the country’s armed forces were instructed to prepare possible countermeasures. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with Aliyev, condemning the attack and expressing support for Azerbaijan, according to official statements. Reports of alleged Iranian-linked sabotage plots also surfaced, with the Azerbaijani authorities stating that several terrorist attacks had been prevented on the country’s territory. According to the State Security Service, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind the plots. Among the alleged targets was the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, a strategic energy corridor linking the Caspian region with Turkey and one of the main routes for exporting Azerbaijani oil. According to Azerbaijani sources, other potential targets included the Israeli embassy, a synagogue in the capital, and a leader of the local Mountain Jewish community. The security service reported that three explosive devices had been brought into the country but were discovered and defused before they could be delivered. The development of the crisis has prompted increased diplomatic contact between world leaders. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian amid the growing regional tensions. Shortly thereafter, Russia’s Foreign Ministry called on both sides to exercise restraint and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the drone strike. On March 7, the foreign ministers of all the Central...

Society

Uzbek Citizen Detained in Israel After Video Mocking Civilians During Rocket Alert

An Uzbek citizen working in Israel has been detained after a video circulated online showing him mocking civilians rushing to bomb shelters during a rocket alert. The video, widely shared on social media, was first posted in a Facebook group for people from Bukhara. It shows people running toward shelters after warning sirens sounded, while the man filming the scene can be heard laughing and making derogatory remarks. In the recording, he says, “Look how the rats are running,” while filming civilians attempting to reach safety during what appears to be a missile warning. The footage quickly sparked outrage among Israeli social media users, many of whom described the comments as offensive and inappropriate given that civilians were seeking protection from a potential attack. Posts circulating within the Bukharan community claimed that Israeli singer Avi Hen later recognized the individual on the street and alerted authorities. Police reportedly arrived shortly afterward and detained the man for questioning. Officials said the detention was carried out on suspicion of incitement and disturbing public order. An investigation into the case is ongoing. Meanwhile, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Israel released an official statement addressing the incident. According to the embassy, the episode occurred on February 28, when an Uzbek citizen identified as N.H. uploaded a video to TikTok during a rocket attack while air-raid sirens were sounding. The embassy said the video contained inappropriate language and was later widely shared across Israeli social media platforms. The statement added that an Israeli citizen identified as A.H. subsequently contacted the police about the video. After learning about the situation, the embassy’s consular department contacted the Uzbek citizen and held a conversation with him. Embassy representatives also communicated with the Israeli citizen who filed the complaint. According to the embassy, the Uzbek national is currently safe, and the situation remains under the supervision of the consular department.

Iran

Iran War Highlights Central Asia’s Vulnerable Southern Trade Corridors

The widening war centered on Iran is reverberating far beyond the Middle East, exposing a structural vulnerability in Central Asia’s economic geography: the region’s reliance on transport corridors that pass through or near Iran and the Persian Gulf. As fighting escalates and shipping risks spread across the region, insurers, shipping companies, and logistics firms are reassessing operations across the Gulf. War-risk insurance premiums have surged while some commercial carriers have scaled back bookings to parts of the region amid growing security concerns. Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have already pushed shipping costs higher as governments and logistics firms weigh the risks of operating in one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. For Central Asia’s landlocked economies, the crisis highlights how much regional connectivity strategies still depend on southern access routes linking the region to global markets. The conflict has also edged closer to the transport routes linking Central Asia with Europe after what were alleged to be Iranian drone strikes on Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan region, damaging facilities at the exclave’s airport and prompting diplomatic protests from Baku. While the strike did not directly disrupt trade corridors, it underscored how quickly the conflict could spill over into the South Caucasus, a key segment of the Middle Corridor. Nakhchivan is a landlocked Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran and Turkey, separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenia, and lies at the frontier where Iranian territory meets the transport networks of the South Caucasus. The South Caucasus also hosts energy infrastructure with wider geopolitical significance. The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline transports mostly Azerbaijani crude through Georgia to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, from where it is shipped to global markets. In 2025, Azerbaijani oil accounted for 46.4% of Israel’s crude imports, most of it moving through this supply chain before being shipped onward by tanker. The pipeline also carries limited volumes of Kazakh crude - 2-3% of Kazakhstan’s overall exports - making it far more significant for Israel’s energy supply than for Kazakhstan’s export system. Iran’s armed forces have denied responsibility for the drone incident, instead accusing Israel of attempting to provoke tensions and disrupt relations between Muslim countries. The Geography of Connectivity Since independence, Central Asian governments have sought to overcome the constraints of geography. Landlocked and long dependent on Soviet-era transport networks running north through Russia, the region has spent three decades developing alternative corridors in multiple directions. Routes leading south have held particular appeal, offering the shortest overland access to ports on the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Iran sits at the heart of several connectivity initiatives designed to connect Central Asian rail networks to ports on the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The Ashgabat Agreement — a multimodal transport framework linking Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and designed to connect Central Asia with ports on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — was created specifically to facilitate international trade and transit between Central Asia and global shipping routes. For countries such as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, rail routes...

Iran

Iran War Tests Emerging C5–Azerbaijan Solidarity

In an effort to coordinate responses to the Mideast conflict, the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries, as well as Azerbaijan, have spoken together by telephone about the widening crisis. The call marked one of the clearest signs yet that the Central Asian “C5” format is evolving beyond economic coordination into an operational diplomatic mechanism during external crises. While the group has met frequently in recent years with major partners, direct coordination over a fast-moving conflict on its periphery reflects a shift toward more structured regional crisis management. The consultation also builds on the expansion last year of the Central Asian consultative format to include Azerbaijan, sometimes referred to as the “C6,” a shift that has increasingly aligned Caspian corridor strategy with regional diplomatic coordination. “During the conversation, the ministers exchanged detailed views on the evolving military and political situation in the Middle East, noting the importance of maintaining close coordination and prompt interaction amid the crisis,” Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev of Kazakhstan thanked his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, which border Iran, for their help in the evacuations of people fleeing Iranian territory. U.S. and Israeli air strikes have hit targets across Iran, whose military has fired retaliatory waves of missiles and drones at Israel as well as U.S. military facilities and civilian areas in Gulf countries. Azerbaijan’s participation underscores its growing integration into Central Asia’s diplomatic orbit. As a Caspian state bordering Iran and a critical link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, Baku has become an indispensable partner in both evacuation logistics and broader corridor security. The call reflects growing cohesion among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. The region is seeking more robust trade routes linking Asia and Europe, while maintaining solidarity and balancing relationships with larger powers, including China, Russia, and the United States. In addition to Kosherbayev, the foreign ministers on the call were Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan, Jeenbek Kulubaev of Kyrgyzstan, Sirojiddin Muhriddin of Tajikistan, Rashid Meredov of Turkmenistan, and Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan. The ministers said they were committed to political and diplomatic means as a way to solve conflicts. “At the conclusion of the call, the parties expressed their readiness to continue providing the necessary support in organizing the possible evacuation of citizens, as well as to maintain close working contacts through the foreign ministries,” the statement from Kazakhstan stated. Notably, the ministers’ language avoided assigning blame or aligning with any side in the conflict, instead emphasizing diplomacy and stability. That careful wording reflects the region’s longstanding strategy of balancing relations with Washington, Moscow, Beijing, and regional powers without being drawn into geopolitical confrontation.