After Trump’s ‘BAD THINGS’ Threat, Neighbors China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan Oppose Military Bases In Afghanistan
The coordinated stance appears to be a direct response to signals from Washington. Image courtesy: X.com/@airnewsalerts
A few days after Afghan officials have dismissed threats from the United States (US) to reclaim Bagram Air Base, its neighbors have opposed the build up of any military bases around the country. Recently, Afghanistan rejected US threats saying any attempt to reestablish a foreign military presence would be met with unyielding resistance.
Now, Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia have echoed a similar tone and issued a joint statement opposing the creation of any foreign “military bases in and around Afghanistan.” The four nations also stressed the need to respect Kabul’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The declaration was made in an official release shared by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Saturday (September 27, 2025).
When and where was this joint position formed?
The declaration came during the Fourth Quadripartite Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan and Russia held in New York on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly session. The statement reflects growing regional concern over renewed Western military ambitions in Afghanistan.
The coordinated stance appears to be a direct response to signals from Washington. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about re-establishing an American military presence in Afghanistan, particularly by regaining control of the Bagram Air Base, which was vacated during the 2021 US withdrawal.
What is the US demanding from Kabul?
A few days back, US President Trump, on Truth Social, warned Kabul that “BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN” if Afghanistan refuses to hand back the Bagram facility, which he said was built by the United States. He has also claimed ongoing discussions with Afghan authorities about the base’s return.
Afghan officials have firmly rejected the idea of a revived US military deployment. Zakir Jalal, an official in Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, wrote on X that Kabul seeks engagement with the US “without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan.”
Why is Bagram strategically significant for Washington?
Trump has linked the push for control of the base to China’s strategic military infrastructure. Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he said Bagram is “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” calling its 2021 abandonment a “total disaster” under the Biden administration.
The US President further said, “We’re trying to get it back because (Afghan officials) need things from us. We want that base back.”
What does the regional opposition signal?
The unified position of Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan underscores their shared interest in preventing Afghanistan from becoming a staging ground for outside powers. With tensions rising between the US and its strategic rivals, any attempt to reinsert American military assets into the region is likely to face coordinated diplomatic resistance.
