“Given the historical and cultural relations between the Iranian and Uzbek nations, a message of condolence by Iran’s president addressed to the Uzbek nation and government was sent”, he added.
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The government and parliament of Uzbekistan had said in a joint statement on Friday that Islam Karimov, 78, had died from brain haemorrhage.
It was on its way to the airport, from where Mr Karimov’s coffin was flown to his home city of Samarkand, 185 miles southwest of the capital.
(AP Photo/Umida Akhmedova). Police guard as people gather along a road to watch the funeral procession of President Islam Karimov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, early Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Yuldashev, saying Karimov’s death was a “heavy loss for Uzbekistan”.
Loyalist Mirziyoyev headed the organising committee for the funeral, in a sign that he could be the frontrunner to take over long-term from Karimov.
Long lambasted by rights groups as one of the region’s most brutal despots who ruthlessly stamped out opposition, Karimov was one of a handful of Soviet strongmen that clung to power after their homelands gained independence from Moscow in 1991.
The government has blamed the violence on Islamist militants, though rights groups and exiles say anger at Chinese controls on the religion and culture of Uighurs is more to blame for the unrest. Many have since joined the Taliban in Afghanistan and Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where they have become battle-hardened.
Three days of mourning are being observed across the Central Asian nation.
Karimov’s youngest daughter Lola wrote on Facebook that “he has left us…”
He was not just the President of another post-Soviet country.
Karimov rose through the ranks of the local Communist Party until Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev named him first secretary and effectively Uzbekistan’s chief in 1989.
“I condole the passing away of Uzbekistan President Mr. Islam Karimov”.
All of his election victories were landslides, but none were recognized as free or fair by worldwide observers.
“At this time of sorrow, the Chinese people will stand together with the Uzbek people”, Hua said.
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Former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, accused Karimov’s security forces of executing two dissidents by boiling them to death.
