Key facts
- Iran's trade with Tajikistan rose 15% to $254 million in the first half of 2026.
- Iran is promoting the Chabahar-Zahedan railway as a trade link to Afghanistan.
- Kazakhstan committed to a transport and logistics cooperation agreement with Iran.
Iran is actively pursuing expanded trade and transport links with Central Asian nations as its conflict with the United States continues. High-level Iranian officials have engaged with counterparts from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in recent weeks. On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Dushanbe, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref claimed a 50% increase in bilateral trade with Tajikistan since the conflict with the U.S. began, though Tajik figures indicate a more modest 15% rise to $254 million in the first half of 2026. Tajik leader Emomali Rahmon and Aref agreed to broaden trade goods and develop joint production ventures. Iranian Transport Minister Farzaneh Sadegh met with officials from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to promote a north-south trade route centered on the Iranian port of Chabahar, designed to enhance access to India. Sadegh also highlighted the upcoming Chabahar-Zahedan railway as a potential trade corridor to Afghanistan. Kazakhstan committed to working on a transport and logistics cooperation agreement, while Iran and Uzbekistan will establish working groups to resolve overland transit issues. Additionally, Iran and Turkmenistan agreed to increase cargo volume at the Sarakhs border crossing.