Energy Deal: Iran and Tajikistan are set to sign a long-term agreement for petroleum product exports and crude oil supply to Tajikistan’s refineries, with talks focused on logistics and a working group to finalize technical details; officials say the deal could help ease Tajikistan’s fuel challenges and lift bilateral trade volumes beyond 800,000 tons. Power Grid Shock: A major blackout hit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan after a sudden change in electricity flows across the interconnected Central Asian grid; Kazakhstan’s KEGOC-linked disruption was tied to generator and transmission-line shutdowns, leaving parts of Almaty and Dushanbe among the affected areas. Industry Push: Tajikistan inaugurated a new electrical cable plant in Tursunzoda with capacity for up to 3,600 tons of cables annually, aiming to expand domestic production and cut imports while creating local jobs. Hospitality Momentum: Tajikistan’s hotels and restaurants grew sharply in H1 2026, with turnover rising to 2.43 billion somoni (+54.9% y/y), reflecting stronger tourism and domestic demand. Digital Transport Planning: Tajikistan presented a draft CIS digital roadmap for transport corridors, targeting step-by-step digitalization of multimodal routes, with final CIS-level approval expected next. Fuel Watch: Fuel prices moved differently across the region, with Tajikistan seeing increases in gasoline prices while some other markets held steady. Business Innovation: FasterCapital backed Jahonzeb Sifat LLC’s shift from bulk exports to consumer-packaged, eco-oriented dried fruits and nuts for retailers across Central Asia.