NEW YORK, United Nations: China, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia have jointly rejected any move to re-establish foreign military bases in Afghanistan, days after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressed the Taliban administration to hand over the Bagram Air Base to the Pentagon.
At the meeting on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, the four countries emphasized that Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be respected.
They also ” firmly opposed any attempt to re-establish foreign military bases in Afghanistan or its surrounding region, warning that such actions would undermine peace and security.” The meeting, hosted by Russia, reaffirmed their collective support for Afghanistan as an independent, united, and peaceful state, free from terrorism, war, and narcotics.
Bagram, the largest air base in Afghanistan, was a linchpin of the US-led war effort against the Taliban, whose government Washington toppled following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
In their joint communiqué, they warned that allowing foreign powers to re-establish military facilities would destabilize the region and undermine peace. The ministers reiterated support for Afghanistan as a united and independent state, while urging Kabul to take “effective, concrete and verifiable actions” against terrorist groups including ISIL, al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Jaish ul-Adl.
US Pressure on Bagram Rejected
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump warned that “bad things” could happen if the Taliban did not cede Bagram to Washington. Kabul, however, has refused to compromise on territorial integrity, reminding Washington of its obligations under the 2020 Doha Agreement. The quadrilateral states — represented by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, China’s envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s senior diplomat Umer Siddique — stressed that the countries responsible for Afghanistan’s crisis should not be allowed to reassert military control.
The statement added that all four states highlighted the importance of regional mechanisms such as the Moscow Format, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the meetings of Afghanistan’s neighbours, praising the recent quadrilateral consultations in Dushanbe as a constructive step forward.
In conclusion, the four foreign ministers reaffirmed their determination to continue close coordination on Afghanistan, emphasizing sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity as the foundation for any sustainable solution.
Bagram, originally built by the Soviets, served as a strategic hub for American operations in Afghanistan from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks until the US withdrawal in 2021. The departure of US and NATO troops in July 2021 marked the end of two decades of Western military presence, after which Afghan forces briefly occupied the site before the Taliban regained control, according to Reuters.
