TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 2. Uzbekistan’s
Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, discussed the
current regional situation and its potential implications for
security and economic stability in the Middle East, the Uzbek FM
wrote on his X page, Trend reports.
“We discussed the current situation in the region and its
potential implications for security and economic stability,” Saidov
stated.
He emphasized the importance of de-escalation,
confidence-building measures, and intensified diplomatic engagement
to prevent further deterioration.
Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have escalated following
stalled nuclear negotiations 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.
In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by
Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly
resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei
and several members of his family.
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.
