Tag: Central Asia

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  GCC-Central Asia Relations in the Post-Cold War Era

  The Center for the National Interest is pleased to present its latest report examining the evolving relationships between the Gulf Arab states, Iran, and the countries of former Soviet Central Asia. Authored by Center Senior Fellow Greg Priddy and Research Fellow Elvira Aidarkhanova, the report analyzes the profound geopolitical and economic shifts reshaping interregional ties,

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  Great Power Competition in Central Asia

  Central Asia has long been subject to the influence of Russia and China, as their proximity and historical relationships with these states have fostered longstanding strategic and economic ties. While American engagement with the Central Asian States has intensified as the U.S. seeks to access critical minerals, transportation corridors, and energy resources, centuries of Russian

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  Collateral Damage? Central Asia and the South Caucasus in the Israel-Iran Conflict

  Both Central Asian and South Caucasian states border Iran and rely on key transit routes as well as economic and political ties with Tehran as they seek to bolster their sovereignty through multi-vector regional foreign policies. To what extent are these goals compromised by U.S. and Israeli efforts to isolate Iran? On July 28, 2025,

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  Can Afghanistan Improve American and Regional Prosperity?

  The Trump administration has been clear that its America First foreign policy prioritizes making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. However, it has not articulated how those objectives apply to Afghanistan policy beyond expressing priority interests in countering terrorism and securing the release of American detainees. But is there a viable way for Afghanistan to

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  Central Asian Fighters and Global Jihad

  Central Asian fighters have been active on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as in various military conflicts across the Greater Middle East and beyond. How are these individuals recruited, financed, and organized? One critical node is the Afghan border with the Central Asian states of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Has their role

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