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Iran at Bishkek SCO
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is traveling to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to participate in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders, with Abna saying he will depart tomorrow for Bishkek and deliver a speech during the summit proceedings.
“President Masood Beshzkian will depart tomorrow for Bishkek to participate in the SCO leaders’ meeting.”
Al Jazeera reports that Pezeshkian is also attending the annual SCO summit in Bishkek, which marks 25 years of its existence and is scheduled as a two-day summit starting on Monday.
Anadolu Ajansı reports that Pezeshkian arrived in Bishkek on Monday for a two-day visit to attend the 2026 SCO summit, and it says he was accompanied by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to IRNA.
Anadolu Ajansı adds that Pezeshkian will hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit and that discussions will also be held with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
Talks and competing agendas
On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Awaz The Voice says Bishkek Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and reiterated a commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors.
Awaz The Voice also quotes Pezeshkian saying, "This meeting is very important and most of the leaders of the region will be present in it," and it frames the summit as a symbol of "diverse and independent voices in the global arena."
Al Jazeera describes the summit as taking place under the motto "Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity" and says Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi are set to gather in Bishkek with Pezeshkian attending.
Al Jazeera also quotes William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, saying, "China could use this year’s summit to present itself as a great power that advocates for a peaceful resolution of the conflicts," while adding that such efforts are likely to be limited to rhetoric rather than any substantive proposal for conflict resolution.
Sanctions pressure and next steps
Several outlets tie the SCO gathering to U.S. pressure on Iran, with Euronews saying the summit is being held amid the confrontation in the Middle East that erupted after the American-Israeli attack on Iran in February and amid stringent U.S. sanctions on Iran.
“as part of a campaign to “strangle” Tehran economically.”
Euronews reports that at the end of August, the Trump administration imposed secondary sanctions on countries that continue to do business with Tehran, particularly in gold, technology, digital assets, aviation, and maritime navigation, as part of a campaign to “strangle” Tehran economically.
Euronews adds that China, Iran’s major trading partner and the main importer of Iranian oil, responded by warning that it will defend its interests “vigorously,” while it says Iran’s president acknowledged that his country faces "several difficulties" after decades of restrictions.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty says Putin is set to hold bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian and Chinese leader Xi Jinping starting August 31 on the sidelines of the two-day SCO, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and it says Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov called the Middle East crisis "one of the key subjects" in the talks between Putin and Pezeshkian.