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Uzbekistan has reduced the average customs processing time for cargo from three hours to just 30 minutes after introducing a digital system, according to the State Customs Committee, as reported by TASS.

The digital system, launched in early 2024, features three platforms: one for customs officers, one for warehouse staff, and one for cargo owners or transport companies.

Users can upload cargo data in advance. Once the goods arrive at the warehouse, staff verify the information and enter it into the system. A risk management algorithm then decides whether the cargo needs inspection by a customs officer.

The system...

Japanese investors plan to invest $15 mln in the construction of the Shogun City hotel complex in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region, the regional administration has announced.

The project includes not only a hotel, but also restaurants and a traditional Japanese garden. During a recent meeting with the Hokim of Fergana, Khayrullo Bozorov, the investors discussed project details and timelines. The Japanese side is expected to finalise the design documentation soon and begin construction.

Shogun City will be part of the Eco City residential area, announced back in 2022.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that AME International would build a children’s medical centre in...

Uzbekistan manufactured 58.9 thousand Cobalt cars between January and May 2025, marking a 2.4% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Committee.

By early June, domestic car manufacturers had produced 38.7 thousand Damas vehicles, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 24.1%.

Onix production rose by 8.8%, reaching 16.2 thousand units. Kia output climbed to 10 thousand vehicles, up by 35.6% year-on-year.

In the first five months of 2025, the country also produced 18 thousand Tracker models, 2.9 thousand Haval vehicles, and 5.4 thousand BYD cars.

As of June 2025, Uzbekistan’s total passenger car production...

Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with China totalled $5.4 bn from January to May 2025, up by 8% compared to the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Committee. China remains the country’s largest trading partner.

Russia ranks second with $4.8bn in trade volume, followed by Kazakhstan at $1.7bn. Trade with Turkey stands at $1bn, and with South Korea it reached $709.8 mln.

As of early June 2025, Uzbekistan’s exports amounted to $14.8bn, while imports reached $16.4bn. Gold exports rose significantly, growing from $4.2 bn to $6.5bn year-on-year. Exports of natural and synthetic gas also increased to $288mln.

Uzbekistan’s...

Iran has fired six missiles at U.S. military installations in Qatar, with Al Udeid Air Base being the primary target, according to Axios reports. The move follows U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, significantly heightening regional instability.

Citing Western diplomats, Reuters confirmed that Qatar temporarily shut down its airspace on Monday due to credible threats against American forces. The Al Udeid base hosts thousands of U.S. personnel and plays a key role in operations across the Middle East.

U.S. Intelligence: More Iranian Attacks Possible in Days

American officials warned of a high likelihood of additional Iranian strikes within the next...

Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree introducing changes to the structure of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan. As part of the reform, a new position — Head of the Presidential Administration — has been created, according to the official press service.

Saida Mirziyoyeva has been appointed to this newly established role.

During the announcement of the updated structure, President Mirziyoyev also outlined the new priorities and tasks assigned to the Administration.

Previously, Saida Mirziyoyeva served as a presidential aide, overseeing areas such as communications, social policy...

IOn Monday, oil prices surged to their highest levels since January 2025 after the United States joined Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, Reuters reports.

The escalation has increased supply risks in the global oil market. Brent crude rose by $1.52 (+1.97%) to $78.53 per barrel, while WTI added $1.51 (+2.04%), reaching $75.35 per barrel.

During the trading session, benchmark prices jumped more than 3%, marking a five-month high.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the American military had destroyed Iran’s key nuclear sites. In response, Tehran vowed to defend its interests.

Iran is reportedly considering closing the...

On June 21–22, Potters Field Park near Tower Bridge in London hosted a festival dedicated to Uzbekistan’s tourism, culture and national cuisine.

Organised with the support of the Tourism Committee, Chustiy Group, OshPaz restaurant, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the UK, the Ministry of Culture, and Uzbekistan Airways, the event brought together more than 100 representatives of Uzbek art, crafts and cuisine.

The festival featured performances by artists, a fashion show of traditional costumes, a presentation of the Lazgi dance, and a culinary programme focused on Khorezm dishes. Over 2 tonnes of agricultural products were showcased at the Product...

The United States rejected over 64% of tourist and business visa applications (B1/B2 category) submitted by Uzbek citizens in 2024, according to a new report from the U.S. State Department.

The exact refusal rate was 64.41%, up 4.85 percentage points compared to 2023, when the figure stood at 59.56%. This is one of the highest rates in Central Asia.

For comparison, the refusal rates in other Central Asian countries were:

High refusal rates were also observed in:

In...

Economist Yuliy Yusupov has challenged claims that the Uzbek soum is strengthening, arguing instead that recent trends in the currency market reflect a weakening of the U.S. dollar, not any real gains by the soum.

«There’s no strengthening of the soum. There’s a decline of the dollar,» Yusupov wrote on social media.

He pointed out that since the beginning of the year, the U.S. dollar has dropped by nearly 10% against the euro and 3.3% against the soum. At the same time, the Uzbek soum has lost value against other major currencies:

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay an official visit to Mongolia from 24 to 25 June, according to the presidential press service.

The two countries plan to prioritise trade expansion between Tashkent and Ulaanbaatar, as well as cooperation in industry, agriculture, transport, and other key sectors.

The visit is expected to result in the signing of a package of bilateral agreements.

Previously, both sides expressed their intention to increase mutual trade by five to ten times. Mongolia has also shown interest in developing livestock clusters in Uzbekistan. Future plans include trade facilitation and investment protection mechanisms.

Unknown assailants have attacked a United States military base in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, Iranian news agency Mehr reported.

The agency did not specify who carried out the strike.

The incident occurred shortly after the United States launched missile and bombing raids on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. A day later, Iran’s Armed Forces Joint Command accused US President Donald Trump of initiating military hostilities, declaring that the US had entered into war with Iran.

Tehran emphasised that it was President Trump who began the conflict, while Iran would be the one to end it.

TASS also reported that...

SNS Partnigs has released an updated ranking of the quality of call centre services provided by commercial banks in Uzbekistan. The results of the May study appeared on the agency’s official Telegram channel.

Analysts contacted the banks, posing as potential clients, and inquired about deposit services. They assessed each bank’s call centre performance based on four parameters: waiting time, operator communication skills, competence, and the duration of the conversation. The scores were calculated using these factors.

The study initially planned to include all 35 commercial banks operating in Uzbekistan. However, researchers were unable to reach five of them, including...

Uzbekistan is launching a $78 mln project to convert waste into fuel, according to the country’s Ministry of Ecology.

The initiative will be developed in partnership with Vision International Investment (Saudi Arabia) and Suez International (France). The agreement was formalized on June 22.

The project will unfold in three stages:

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Bell Energy would begin generating electricity from waste in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan has made significant progress in digital governance, according to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In his address to participants of the UN Public Service Forum, he announced that citizens can now access more than 700 public services online through a unified digital platform.

The President highlighted that over the past year, Uzbekistan has climbed 24 places in the global e-government development index. The country also improved its standing in the international Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness index, advancing by 17 positions.

«To develop a modern civil service, we have established a specialised training cluster aimed...

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has acknowledged lingering questions about where Iran may have relocated its uranium shortly before the recent American airstrikes, The New York Times (NYT) reports.

Earlier, several Israeli officials claimed there is intelligence suggesting that Tehran transferred around 400 kilograms of nuclear fuel in anticipation of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

«In the coming weeks, we’ll be working to deal with this fuel, and it’s one of the issues we intend to discuss with the Iranians,» said Vance in an interview with ABC News.

The fate of the...

Spot market prices for uranium have climbed to $75 per pound, marking a weekly increase of over 7% by June 20. Analysts attribute the surge to renewed demand from investment funds, global initiatives to expand nuclear energy, and escalating tensions in the Middle East, Kommersant reports.

Key drivers of uranium’s price increase:

The Iranian Armed Forces have declared that the United States is now engaged in a war with Iran, following US airstrikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

«You started this war, Trump, but we will be the ones to end it,» the joint command of Iran’s military said in an official statement.

Earlier, the United States used stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles to carry out precision strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

According to the 2025 Global Firepower ranking, the US military remains the most powerful in the...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan has expressed concern over the rapid escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The statement appeared on the Ministry’s official Telegram channel.

«Uzbekistan has consistently called on all parties in the region to pursue peace through mutual dialogue,» the Ministry said.

The Ministry also advised Uzbek citizens to refrain from travelling to Israel and Iran. Those currently in these countries should leave if possible.

On Sunday, June 22, the United States launched air and missile strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. The operation...

US President Donald Trump has suggested a possible change of power in Iran, posting the statement on his Truth Social account a day after American air strikes targeted nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic.

«It may not be politically correct to use the term ‘regime change,’ but if the current Iranian regime cannot make Iran great again, why not change the regime??? MIGA (Make Iran Great Again),» Trump wrote.

From 1925 to 1979, Iran was ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty. The monarchy ended in 1979 when Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown...

A humanitarian shipment carrying Sofosbuvir has arrived in Uzbekistan from Sharm El Sheikh Airport, marking the fourth delivery from Egypt since the beginning of the year, according to Dunyo news agency.

Under Uzbekistan’s national programme to eliminate hepatitis C, the medication will be distributed to patients through the Research Institute of Virology at the Ministry of Health. Funds saved by receiving the medicines free of charge will be used to conduct screening programmes aimed at identifying asymptomatic cases of the disease.

Uzbekistan aims to completely eliminate hepatitis C within the next five years. Egypt continues to support this effort...

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Israel has advised Uzbek citizens to strictly observe safety protocols and remain in shelters during missile attacks. The announcement was published on the diplomatic mission’s official channel.

The embassy warned of new restrictions introduced in Israel. Until 08:00 on 23 June, all areas under limited activity will remain in a restricted mode, permitting movement only when strictly necessary. Kindergartens, schools, universities and most industrial enterprises will remain closed. Commuting to work is prohibited.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) imposed the restrictions following the escalation of conflict with Iran after the United States launched airstrikes...

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that American air forces launched what he called a very successful strike on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

In a post published on his official Truth Social account, Trump said US combat aircraft dropped a full payload on the primary target — Fordow.

«We have completed our very successful attack on three nuclear facilities in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. All aircraft are now out of Iranian airspace,» the US President wrote.

«All planes are returning...

US strategic B-2 bombers carried out strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to a source quoted by Reuters.

The anonymous official confirmed that the B-2 aircraft had targeted three key sites — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — the same locations former President Donald Trump mentioned in a statement posted on his Truth Social account.

Earlier, Reuters reported on the deployment of B-2 bombers, prompting speculation about a potential operation.

Experts note that B-2 bombers are capable of delivering bunker-busting munitions designed to destroy underground facilities, such as the nuclear site at Fordow.