TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 3. Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the evolving regional situation and the risks of further escalation, the Uzbek FM wrote on his X page, Trend reports.
“I extended to the Iranian minister condolences over the loss of civilian lives and conveyed compassion to the families affected by the recent events,” Saidov stated.
He remarked that he had conferred with his colleague regarding the dynamic regional landscape, cautioning that any additional escalation could lead to serious humanitarian and security ramifications.
“I reaffirmed our consistent and principled position that all differences and disputes must be resolved exclusively through peaceful means, dialogue, and diplomacy,” he concluded.
In the interim, hostilities in the Middle East have intensified due to the impasse in nuclear discussions between Washington and Tehran.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.
Additionally, several of Iran’s most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.
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