Tajikistan has begun receiving Iranian oil and fuel after Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries reduced Russian exports to Central Asia, according to several outlets.
Tajikistan's Energy and Water Resources Ministry told the Asia-Plus news agency that deliveries of fuel from Iran began in late August, OilPrice.com reported. The size of the shipments has not been confirmed.
bne IntelliNews also reported that Tajikistan has started taking Iranian oil as Russian fuel supplies falter. The start date rests on the Tajik ministry's statement to Asia-Plus.
The deliveries follow a request from Dushanbe. According to Tajikistan's Transport Ministry, cited by OilPrice, Tajikistan asked Iran for 2.55 million tonnes of oil and fuels. That comprises 2 million tonnes of crude oil, 150,000 tonnes of petrol, 300,000 tonnes of diesel and 100,000 tonnes of jet fuel.
bne IntelliNews described the request as being for up to that amount per year. The Times of Central Asia also reported it. Actual delivered volumes have not been independently confirmed.
The Transport Ministry said: "The global geopolitical situation has cut fuel imports to the Republic of Tajikistan." The quotation is cut off in the excerpt of the OilPrice report seen by the Tehran Telegraph.
The request comes as Russia's refining sector is under pressure. Al Jazeera reported that Ukrainian drone strikes have knocked out an estimated quarter to half of Russia's refining capacity, and that Russia has imposed fuel rationing and export restrictions. The estimate is Al Jazeera's. Other outlets reviewed gave no figure.
The Times of Central Asia reported long queues at petrol stations in Moscow in August, and said Russia had combined export curbs with fuel imports. OilPrice and bne IntelliNews also cite the drone strikes and Russian export restrictions. bne IntelliNews has described Russia's fuel crisis as entering a third wave.
Central Asian states have relied heavily on Russian fuel. Tajikistan has traditionally sourced up to 80 per cent of its petroleum products from Russia, while Kyrgyzstan gets more than 90 per cent of its petrol from Russia, Al Jazeera reported. According to bne IntelliNews and OilPrice, Russia supplied more than 91 per cent of Tajik petroleum-product imports in the first half of 2026.
Galiya Ibragimova of Carnegie Politika told Al Jazeera that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan had been hurt the most by the shortages. She also said discounted Russian fuel for Tajikistan was a payment for political loyalty rather than an act of kindness by President Vladimir Putin.
Ibragimova said replacement fuel would most likely cost more, the Times of Central Asia reported, citing the Al Jazeera interview.
Other countries in the region are looking elsewhere. The Times of Central Asia reported that Kyrgyzstan is arranging supplies from China and that Kazakhstan plans to more than double its refining capacity. The outlet also quoted a Kyrgyz trader, Kanatbek Eshatov, as saying on 12 August that Russian refineries were offering virtually no extra volumes. That claim comes from a single source.
Al Jazeera reported that Uzbekistan is diversifying its imports, including from Georgia and Iraq. Al Jazeera also asked whether the shortages could give Iranian oil an opening in the region. That framing is the outlet's analysis and has not been stated as a position by any government.
Iran's own export position is constrained. Al Jazeera said Iranian oil exports have struggled amid a US blockade. bne IntelliNews reported that the United States launched what it called Operation Economic Outcast on 24 August, with the aim of cutting Iran's remaining revenue.
US Treasury spokeswoman Gigi O'Connell said anyone operating in Iran's oil sector bears that risk themselves, according to bne IntelliNews. The reports reviewed did not include a response from the Iranian or Russian governments.
Tajikistan is not a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, while Kyrgyzstan is, Al Jazeera reported. OilPrice said relations between Tajikistan and Iran are warming more broadly.
