Crossroads Asia | Diplomacy | Central Asia

Central Asia Watches, Worries, as Conflict Threatens to Engulf the Middle East

It’s awkward to be on record calling Trump the “president of peace” as he plunges the Middle East into a likely catastrophic conflict.

In late December 2025, as massive protests broke out in Iran, the governments of Central Asia were nearly silent. In late February, as the United States and Israel struck Iran – and Iran hit back, striking U.S. allies across the Middle East – Central Asian governments roused themselves to comment. 

Just a week before Washington launched its attack on Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan dispatched their presidents to join U.S President Trump in the Board of Peace’s first meeting. It’s awkward to be on record calling Trump the “president of peace” as he plunges the Middle East into a likely catastrophic conflict.

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were first to publish statements, with their respective foreign ministries expressing “serious concern.”

“We call on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further steps that could lead to a dangerous escalation with difficult to predict consequences not only of a military-political, but also of a humanitarian nature,” the Uzbek Foreign Ministry stressed.

The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry made a similar appeal, urging “for the consolidation of the international community’s efforts to peacefully resolve the situation in the region in accordance with the U.N. Charter and international law…”

On March 1, the Tajik Foreign Ministry put out a brief statement expressing “deep concern over the unprecedented escalation of the situation in the Middle East” and urged the prevention of further escalation. The ministry added, “Tajikistan believes that all disputes and differences should be settled exclusively by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.”

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on March 2, expressing condolences to the people of Iran, “over the loss of civilian lives, including children, as well as members of the senior leadership of the Islamic Republic as a result of the recent tragic events.” The statement went on to express regret over the strikes targeting civilian facilities in “Arab states that are not participating in the war against Iran.” 

As with the other regional reactions, Kazakhstan urged for political and diplomatic settlement of disputes, “with strict observance of international law and the U.N. Charter” and called on “all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint and responsibility in order to prevent further escalation of violence in the region.”

Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement in March 2, expressing concerns and commenting that “it is regrettable that the escalation occurred against the backdrop of diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation in the region.” Citing its permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan urged that “the resolution of all complex international issues must be carried out on the basis of the U.N. Charter and international law, using only political and diplomatic means and methods.”

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