The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan formally summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Tashkent, Mohammad Ali Iskandari, to hand over a sharp note of protest. This diplomatic friction arose after several of Iran's overseas diplomatic missions allegedly published politically motivated and one-sided interpretations of Samarkand’s historical and cultural heritage on social media.

According to MFA spokesperson Omonulla Faiziev, the dissatisfaction was triggered by contentious posts on the X platform concerning Uzbekistan's ancient cities. During the meeting, Tashkent firmly reiterated that the heritage of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva forms an integral part of the Uzbek people's centuries-old history and statehood traditions, which must not be subjected to geopolitical manipulation.

Uzbek officials stressed that diplomatic resources must strictly adhere to principles of mutual respect and trust, warning against the politicization of historical and cultural matters. Consequently, the Iranian side was demanded to promptly remove the disputed posts from all official social media accounts and take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

This controversy allegedly escalated following a visit by a prominent figure of the US regime, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who posted a video statement from the historic Registan Square during his trip to Samarkand. While emphasizing its value for respectful bilateral relations, Tashkent maintained its uncompromising stance against any biased distortion of its national heritage.

Source: kun.uz