New York, 26 Sept 2025 (Anadolu News)

China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan have opposed any move to reestablish military bases in war-torn Afghanistan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The opposition comes after US President Donald Trump asked the interim Taliban administration to return Bagram Air Base to Pentagon.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing that foreign ministers and representatives from the four nations held an informal meeting on Afghanistan on the sidelines of the 80th session of UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

The joint statement of the quadrilateral meeting “emphasised respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” said Guo. “It reiterated firm opposition to re-establishment of military bases in Afghanistan and the region by the countries responsible for the current situation in the country,” said the spokesman.

The meeting was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Yue Xiaoyong, the Chinese envoy on Afghanistan, and Umer Siddique, a senior Pakistani diplomat, according to a photo of the meeting shared by Yue on US social media company X. “This fully demonstrates respect that Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries have for its sovereignty, independence and national dignity,” said Guo, the ministry spokesman.

Trump warned "bad things" would happen if the Taliban administration did not cede control of Bagram Air Base to the Pentagon.

Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the full withdrawal of the US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan, after a two-decade-long war.

Kabul has refused to negotiate its territorial integrity and has urged Trump to commit to the Doha deal of 2020.