The leaders of Russia, China and Iran are expected to gather in Kyrgyzstan on August 31 for a two-day summit aimed at strengthening the influence of a major regional bloc often seen as a counterweight to the West.
About a dozen heads of state will travel to Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO. The group includes Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian countries and Moscow’s ally Belarus.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have often used SCO meetings to promote the idea of a multipolar world, one in which power is shared among several major countries instead of being dominated by the United States and its allies.
Iran will be represented by President Masoud Pezeshkian. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are also due to attend a main session chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
The Kremlin said Putin is expected to hold separate talks with Xi and Pezeshkian, as well as with other leaders. Russia and Iran have strengthened their military and economic cooperation during the war in Ukraine, despite being among the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world.
The summit comes at a tense moment. The war in Ukraine continues, Washington and Tehran remain locked in conflict, and new US tariffs and sanctions have increased pressure on China, India and Iran. China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, has promised to defend its interests.
Iran joined the SCO in 2023 and hopes its membership will help it overcome Western sanctions. However, experts warn that the organisation’s practical benefits remain uncertain during times of crisis.
Although the SCO says it is not an alliance against other countries, its members do not always share the same interests. Russia and China compete for influence in Central Asia, while Beijing’s relations with India and Pakistan remain difficult.
