Saudi-backed Uzbek project to open year-end; Nvidia-supported Kazakh campus takes shape TASHKENT/ISTANBUL — The race to build data centers in Central Asia is intensifying, with Uzbekistan set to complete the first phase of a facility by year-end and Kazakhstan’s Nvidia-backed project expected to offer 125 megawatts by 2027. Uzbekistan’s TAS-1 …
Read More »A remote bridge shows how US-Iran war is expanding
A reported US strike on a railway bridge in northern Iran has drawn attention to a lesser-known front in the widening conflict: the battle over the transport corridors linking Iran to Central Asia, Russia and China. Iranian state media and the IRGC said cruise missiles attributed to US forces struck …
Read More »Kazakhstan and the Iran-Israel war: Navigating risks, opportunities, and strategic neutrality
Kazakhstan, a landlocked Central Asian state with a long-standing multi-vector foreign policy, has been indirectly affected by the 2025–2026 escalation between Israel, the United States, and Iran. The conflict has created both risks and opportunities for Astana. Kazakhstan has tried to preserve pragmatic neutrality while deepening ties with Israel, Gulf states, and …
Read More »Caspian Sea Decline Harms Iran and Raises Regional Tensions
The Caspian coast of Iran is at a turning point, where environmental deterioration, economic losses, and geopolitical tensions collide Climate change, increased evaporation, and decreased inflows from feeder rivers like the Volga are contributing to a dramatic and rapid drop in water levels in the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland …
Read More »Kazakhstan struggles with energy balance
he Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back Kazakhstan is producing record amounts of oil for export, with output reportedly reaching 2.12m b/d at the beginning of March, exceeding the country’s OPEC+ quota of 1.47m …
Read More »Strategic alliances: Türkiye’s subtle cooperation with Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has evolved from a stable investment partner to a strategic ally for Türkiye, providing a crucial link in Central Asia, with diplomatic harmony fostering ongoing cooperation It is widely acknowledged that Türkiye and Azerbaijan are often described, using the words of former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, as “one nation …
Read More »GCC, Iran’s Northern Neighbors Expanding Financial Ties
As Iran grapples with a severe lack of foreign investment, its Arab neighbors are increasingly channeling funds into Iran’s northern regions, boosting trade turnover. On December 17, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly launched a substantial investment fund worth one billion dollars. This collaborative venture sees …
Read More »Gulf States’ Opportunities in Kazakhstan’s Emerging Economy and the Middle Corridor
As the world’s great powers and the GCC states cast their attention toward the region, the nations of Central Asia could play a major role in facilitating trade between Europe and China. When U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in San Francisco to patch up Sino-American …
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