Overview
- A joint statement from the Russia-hosted Moscow Format declared attempts to deploy military infrastructure in Afghanistan or neighboring states unacceptable.
- Ten participants, including India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran and five Central Asian states, presented a rare unified regional stance on the issue.
- Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the talks and reaffirmed that Afghanistan will not accept any foreign military presence.
- The communiqué coupled its position on bases with calls for comprehensive, verifiable Afghan action against militant groups and commitments to expand counter-terrorism cooperation.
- President Trump has urged the Taliban to hand back Bagram and warned of "bad things," while experts and US officials say any reoccupation could resemble a reinvasion requiring large troop deployments and advanced air defences, with no confirmed US plan publicly disclosed.