Afghanistan, Oct. 19 -- The United States is seeking to expand its economic and strategic ties with Central Asia as competition over critical minerals, energy supplies and transport routes intensifies, while Iran remains an important geographic option for the region's landlocked economies.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on October 18 ahead of meetings with foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan under the C5+1 framework. More than 200 American business representatives are accompanying the visit, with trade, investment, critical minerals and security expected to feature in discussions.
The visit reflects Washington's efforts to deepen commercial cooperati...