Iran Explains Samarkand Posts: “They Were Directed at the U.S.”
Political
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said posts by Iranian embassies about Samarkand were directed at the United States, not Uzbekistan. His remarks came on October 26, three days after Tashkent summoned Iran’s ambassador and delivered a note of protest over social media posts about the city’s cultural heritage.
At a briefing in Tehran, a journalist asked whether the ironic posts by Iranian diplomatic missions could affect relations between the two countries. They appeared after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Samarkand on October 19, met the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries and recorded a video message against the backdrop of Registan Square.
Baghaei began his answer by quoting a poem by Rudaki about Bukhara. In a subsequent Telegram post, he said ties between Iran and Uzbekistan were longstanding and that Samarkand, Bukhara and other ancient cities in the region formed part of a shared cultural and civilizational heritage of Iran and neighboring peoples. He said this common heritage should help strengthen good-neighborly relations.
“In this case, the appeal by our friends at some embassies was directed at the American side,” Baghaei said. He explained that the posts were intended to draw attention to what Tehran considers inaccurate and inappropriate American remarks about Iranian civilization, culture and history. He added that Iran attaches great importance to relations with neighboring states.
The dispute followed posts by Iranian embassies in Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Armenia. They described Registan as part of Persian cultural heritage and advised Rubio to study history. The posts drew criticism in Uzbekistan.
On October 23, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Eskandari and demanded that the posts be removed and similar incidents prevented. Tashkent described the publications as a one-sided, politically motivated interpretation of Samarkand’s history. The Uzbek side stressed that the heritage of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and other cities reflects the Uzbek people’s centuries-old history and traditions of statehood.
Media reports said several Iranian embassies later deleted the posts. Baghaei did not separately address the protest note or Tashkent’s demand. The dispute highlighted the sensitivity of historical heritage in relations between the two countries.
Baghaei began his answer by quoting a poem by Rudaki about Bukhara. In a subsequent Telegram post, he said ties between Iran and Uzbekistan were longstanding and that Samarkand, Bukhara and other ancient cities in the region formed part of a shared cultural and civilizational heritage of Iran and neighboring peoples. He said this common heritage should help strengthen good-neighborly relations.
“In this case, the appeal by our friends at some embassies was directed at the American side,” Baghaei said. He explained that the posts were intended to draw attention to what Tehran considers inaccurate and inappropriate American remarks about Iranian civilization, culture and history. He added that Iran attaches great importance to relations with neighboring states.
The dispute followed posts by Iranian embassies in Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Armenia. They described Registan as part of Persian cultural heritage and advised Rubio to study history. The posts drew criticism in Uzbekistan.
On October 23, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Eskandari and demanded that the posts be removed and similar incidents prevented. Tashkent described the publications as a one-sided, politically motivated interpretation of Samarkand’s history. The Uzbek side stressed that the heritage of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and other cities reflects the Uzbek people’s centuries-old history and traditions of statehood.
Media reports said several Iranian embassies later deleted the posts. Baghaei did not separately address the protest note or Tashkent’s demand. The dispute highlighted the sensitivity of historical heritage in relations between the two countries.
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