Iran Tracker

Nuclear:

Uzbekistan has largely held back from the public debates on the issue of Iranian nuclear enrichment and the UN Security Council resolutions.  In May 2006, Uzbek President Islam Karimov argued against military strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and supported diplomatic methods to resolve the conflict.[1]

Economic Relationship:

In June 2008, Iran’s commercial attaché in Uzbekistan Seyed Mohammad Beheshtian claimed that "Iran is Uzbekistan’s sixth largest trading partner," and in February 2008, the Uzbek government placed the two countries’ bilateral trade at $700 million annually.[2]    In July 2008 the two countries held their ninth joint economic, commercial commission.  At the commission, they called for an expansion of bilateral economic ties. Uzbek Deputy Minister for Foreign, Economic, and Commercial relations Nasiruddin Najimev said, "according to the existing statistics, commercial exchange level has increased five fold from year 2000 to 2007…Currently some 117 Iranian investing companies are active in Uzbekistan."[3] In March 2009, during a meeting with Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Solihbaev Anvar Saidovich, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki suggested that Iran and Uzbkistan should increase their bilateral cooperation.  Mottaki stated that "countries [can] complete and improve their programs and capacities through cooperation and using other countries' experiences." [4]

Tehran hosted the 10th meeting of the joint economic, commercial and industrial commission of Iran and Uzbekistan on January17-18. Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari said in a meeting with the Uzbek Ambassador Ilhom Akramov that the two countries had numerous commonalities and the 10th meeting would unquestionably boost trade and open new paths towards development.[5] Mehdi Ghazanfari business relations between the two countries have increased, while the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Trade and Investment Minister of Uzbekistan said that the expansion of cooperation with Tehran is one of its government’s priorities.[6] According to the two countries, the current volume of trade, $600 million, should reach $1 billion over the next 12 months.[7]

Diplomatic/Military Relationship:

As an ally of the United States, Uzbekistan’s political and military cooperation with Iran has been limited. Uzbekistan has been a recipient of US and USAID technical and financial assistance since its independence in 1991.  In July 1994 Uzbekistan joined the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) and in March 2002 it signed the US-Uzbek Declaration on the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Framework.[8]  The Strategic Framework Agreement provides for military, diplomatic, and economic cooperation between the two countries.[9] In a March 2009 meeting with Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Solihbaev Anvar Saidovich, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki claimed that “the western countries have created more concern in central and western Asia due to their improper approaches towards fighting drugs and extremism."[10]