Central Asia Consulting Inc.

Seeing nearly 99% of commenters expressing support for Iran’s authorities may reflect a perception among many Tajiks that they share a broader civilizational identity with Iranians through Persian language and history. Yet this overlooks the deep cultural divergence that occurred during the Soviet period, when Tajiks developed under a different ideology and alphabet. What we may now be witnessing is the emergence of a new identity dynamic — something resembling “Ayatollah-influenced Tajiks,” which even Tajik authorities likely never anticipated or intended. The sad part is that the model many seem to admire is the one we see in Iran today — a system facing deep economic and political challenges. This identity trajectory does not offer a promising future.

I am in the 1% who want to see Iran become a Westernized country that is strong, not a proxy of China or Russia, and with the most advanced economy in the region so it can help the entire Middle East and the world flourish.

Local sources say accusations against members of the Yazgulami ethnolinguistic community cited in the report are false. Labeling Yazgulamis as extremists misrepresents the misuse of extremism charges in Tajikistan. Thank you .https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2026-03/USCIRF_2026_AR_3326_NEW.pdf