Rubio’s first visit to Uzbekistan brings him to Samarkand, the renowned Central Asian city.

It appears Rubio has done some homework: he noted that Samarkand has long served as a pivotal hub in international trade, and today presents new opportunities for cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States—an observation rich in symbolic resonance.

Just days earlier, Rubio was in Athens, where he delivered sharp criticism of Iranian civilization and the Persian people.

Now, standing before one of Samarkand’s most celebrated Persian-style architectural masterpieces—the heart of an ancient Persian cultural sphere—he poses for commemorative photographs.

Samarkand lies within a historically Persian-speaking region, with deep linguistic and cultural ties to Iran.

While Uzbek is the official language, many residents speak Tajik as their mother tongue. Tajik, closely related to Persian spoken in Iran, belongs to the same Indo-Iranian language family.

Few are aware that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon can converse directly with Iranian officials like Masoud Pezeshkian without translation.

In the 14th century, Timur established his capital in Samarkand; his empire once extended over eastern Iran and Khorasan. The city became a major center for Persian poetry, architecture, scholarship, and the arts. Classical Persian literary figures and scholars traveled extensively through Samarkand.

The blue domes and intricate miniature paintings Rubio encountered reflect shared cultural DNA with Iran.

If he had visited Iran, he would have found similar mosques, geometric designs, and colorful tilework—elements flowing from the same historical lineage.

His expressions of wonder, one might surmise, would mirror those he displayed at the grand assembly halls of imperial capitals.

For Americans, traveling to nearly any corner of the world often evokes the presence of a more ancient civilization. Recognizing the interconnections among regional cultures, one cannot help but feel a sense of reverence.

The irony is stark: a political faction in the U.S. now engaged in conflict with a civilization whose legacy underpins much of what it admires—even as history unfolds.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879509796442112/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.