China’s Xi and Iran’s Pezeshkian in Kyrgyzstan, Putin expected

China's Xi Jinping and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian attended a summit in Kyrgyzstan as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This two-day event, which will also see Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders, marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO bloc. The regional group, comprising Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Central Asian nations, and Belarus, aims to counter Western influence.

Xi praised the "golden period" in China-Kyrgyzstan relations, highlighting China's growing influence in the historically Russia-dominated region. Putin and Xi often use SCO summits to promote a multipolar world against the West. Pezeshkian arrived in Bishkek, Tehran's media reported, as tensions between Washington and Tehran persist. The SCO is set to host a plenary session chaired by Kyrgyz leader Sadyr Japarov, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expected to attend, though his country is not a formal member.

Both Putin and Pezeshkian, along with other leaders, will engage in bilateral talks. This comes amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, as well as trade tensions among SCO members. Iran joined the bloc in 2023, seeking to bypass US and European sanctions. However, the SCO's real and tangible benefits remain uncertain, as it has rarely resolved crises in the past.