BISHKEK -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek to press for a stronger regional architecture built around multilateralism, economic integration and collective security, while the SCO leaders issued their strongest collective condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, warning that military strikes against Iranian territory pose a serious threat to international peace, security and stability.
The Bishkek Declaration affirmed member states’ “position condemning military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties and significant damage to the country’s economy.” 
It added that “such actions violate the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter and create serious risks to international peace, security and stability.”
The summit, held in the Kyrgyz capital as the organization marked its 25th anniversary, brought together leaders from across Eurasia, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pezeshkian and the leaders of India, Pakistan and Turkey. 
The gathering also underscored the expanding weight of an organization that now has 10 full members and a growing network of dialogue partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Against that backdrop, Pezeshkian stated that the organization can play a larger role in shaping an international system in which no
 single power dictates the rules. He called for a multipolar world based on “multilateralism, equality of states’ sovereignty and the
 rule of law,” while warning against replacing one center of power with another.
Pezeshkian identified unilateralism, the use of military force, unilateral sanctions and the weaponization of economics and technology among the principal challenges confronting developing countries and emerging economies. The answer, he said, lies in stronger multilateral cooperation.
“Sustainable security is achieved not through confrontation, but through mutual trust, respect for the sovereignty of countries, non-interference in internal affairs and cooperation among governments,” he said.
His remarks closely complemented the political language of the Bishkek Declaration, which condemned unilateral coercive measures in the global economy and called for a more equitable and multipolar financial system. 
The declaration’s economic provisions point toward reducing dependence on traditional reserve currencies and strengthening financial cooperation among member states.
Pezeshkian called for deeper financial and banking cooperation among SCO members, including greater use of national currencies and, ultimately, the creation of an “SCO Bank.” He also proposed an SCO export and investment insurance union, designed to strengthen trade and investment among member states and reduce vulnerability to external disruptions.
Energy formed another major component of Tehran’s agenda. Pezeshkian proposed an “SCO Energy Consortium,” stating that the organization’s enormous combined production and consumption capacity could provide a stable framework for energy production, supply, transportation and consumption across its vast geographic area.
Iran also put forward a security initiative: the creation of a strategic security studies center within the SCO to identify emerging threats, assess regional security developments and provide expert recommendations. Pezeshkian further proposed an SCO parliamentary forum to deepen political dialogue and legislative cooperation among member states.
The summit’s broader institutional agenda reinforced that direction. Alongside the Bishkek Declaration, member states signed 27 additional strategic documents, including regulations establishing the Universal Center for Countering Challenges and Threats to the Security of SCO Member States and a 2026–2030 action plan for developing ports and logistics centers across the bloc.
The declaration also addressed emerging security domains, with member states reaffirming the need to keep outer space free from weapons and urging the international community to finalize a legally binding treaty preventing an arms race in space. They also pledged to preserve the historical memory of World War II and counter attempts to falsify its outcomes.
At the same time, the SCO explicitly clarified that it is “not a military or political bloc” and is not directed against any third-party state or international organization. Yet its expanding membership, economic weight and increasingly coordinated positions on international affairs demonstrate the organization’s growing influence as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions.
That growing weight was emphasized by Putin, who noted that the SCO has developed from a small regional grouping into what he described as the largest regional organization in the world. 
Its member states, he said, account for “almost half of the world’s population and about a third of global GDP,” while possessing vast natural resources, critical logistics routes and strong intellectual and technological potential.
Putin also highlighted the increasing use of national currencies in trade among SCO members, a trend that reduces dependence on the U.S. dollar and offers countries greater insulation from Western sanctions. 
He called for every effort to eradicate “any provocation leading to armed conflict,” stressing that stronger cooperation among member states is essential for peace and stability across Eurasia.
That diplomatic agenda was reinforced by Pezeshkian’s meeting with Putin, where the Iranian president described relations with Russia as “honest, deep and developing.”
He thanked Moscow for its support of Iran in international forums and during the recent war and sanctions, stating that Russia’s positions demonstrate that Tehran-Moscow ties are not an ordinary relationship but one based on shared interests.
Pezeshkian told Putin that Iran will continue resisting unilateralism and coercive sanctions, stressing that closer regional cooperation and multilateralism can reduce the effectiveness of such pressure. He also stressed that Iran and Russia have significant economic and political capacities that can be developed despite Western sanctions.
Putin, for his part, delivered a strong political message of support. He described the recent attack on Iran as a major “tragedy and crime” that could not be justified and said the United States and Israel have failed to achieve their objectives. The Russian president attributed that failure in part to the “unity and resistance” of the Iranian people.
Putin also said Moscow will continue developing ties with Tehran “in all areas,” while noting that bilateral trade and economic relations have continued their upward trajectory despite the military and political circumstances. 
He expressed solidarity with the Iranian people and said Russia has repeatedly warned Washington and Israel that a military solution to the Iranian issue has no prospect of success.
The Iranian president also met Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit, highlighting the importance Tehran attaches to its relationship with China and to the SCO as a vehicle for broader Eurasian cooperation.
Although fewer details emerged publicly from the meeting than from the talks with Putin, the presence of Xi alongside Putin and Pezeshkian highlighted the three-way convergence between Iran and the two principal powers shaping the SCO. 
China remains an essential partner in Iran’s wider Asian orientation, while Tehran sees its engagement with Beijing as part of a broader strategy of strengthening economic and diplomatic links beyond the traditional Western power centers.
Pezeshkian’s message also carried a clear rejection of the idea that Iran can be isolated through pressure. He said that the international balance is changing and that countries increasingly reject a system in which one power can impose its will on others.
“Multilateralism will ultimately prevail over unilateralism,” he said.
The political significance of the summit was further sharpened by Pezeshkian’s account of the recent war with the United States and Israel. He said the attacks launched against Iran constituted “an overt aggression against the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law,” as well as against the principle prohibiting the use of force.
Pezeshkian said that after 40 days of determined resistance by the Iranian people, including attacks on military and economic facilities, infrastructure, schools and hospitals across Iran, the United States and Israel were ultimately forced to accept a ceasefire and end the war after failing to achieve their predetermined objectives.
“The United States and the Zionist regime were forced to accept a ceasefire and end the war,” he said, presenting the outcome as a consequence of Iran’s resistance and the failure of the attacking powers to accomplish their stated aims.