Regional powers reject US plan to reclaim Bagram airbase in Afghanistan

Major regional powers on Tuesday rejected U.S. plans to re-establish control of the former American facility at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan, declaring that any new foreign military presence in the country or its neighbors would be “unacceptable.”

The statement was issued at the 7th Meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, hosted in the Russian capital. Representatives from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan attended. Belarus joined as an observer.

For the first time, Afghanistan participated as a full member, represented by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Participants reaffirmed their support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. They urged greater international assistance to help the country achieve sustainable economic growth through trade, agriculture, investment, and poverty reduction, while encouraging its integration into regional connectivity projects.

The group also called for enhanced global efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Afghans, warning against what they described as the “politicization” of relief.

On security, the statement emphasized the threat posed by terrorist groups, calling them “a serious danger to Afghanistan, the region, and the wider world.” Members agreed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and encouraged Afghanistan’s authorities to prevent militant groups from using its territory against neighboring states.

In a pointed reference to Washington, the joint statement urged countries “mainly responsible for the current predicament in Afghanistan” to honor commitments toward Afghanistan’s recovery and development. It rejected any renewed military deployment in the region, warning such moves “do not serve the interests of regional peace and stability.”

The message comes after President Donald Trump said last month that the United States seeks to regain control of Bagram, a sprawling Soviet-built base north of Kabul that became the center of American military operations after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The United States withdrew from the base in 2021 as the Taliban regained power.

Trump made his remarks during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. At the time, an Afghan official dismissed the possibility of a renewed U.S. presence, saying the country had no need for foreign troops.

The Moscow Format has become one of the most important regional platforms for dialogue on Afghanistan, offering Russia, China, and neighboring states a venue to coordinate positions on political, security, and economic issues shaping the country’s future.