Change is in the wind in Central Asia and the Caucasus. How Iran and Russia manage their affairs and relations will have profound impact on future developments.
Russia and the West are heading towards Cold War type rivalry, especially in Central Asia that Moscow considers its sphere of influence.
The Eurasia region of which Central Asia is a vital part, has become hotly contested territory for influence. There are many players involved of which Russia, Iran and China are the principal actors. Their policies will have profound impact on the region.
President Islam Karimov, a dictator well-schooled in the old methods of Soviet repression, is intensifying his regime’s crackdown on all forms of dissent, whether Islamic or secular.
