Given the Trump administration’s shift from a military campaign against Iran to primarily one that seeks economic ‘strangulation’ and isolation – there’s been a big diplomatic push by the White House to get regional allies on board.
But the early case remains that reactions from other Gulf allies have so far been muted, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier confirmed that Trump has been phoning world leaders to join him in isolating Iran.
But this is what makes images coming out Monday from a place further to the east so resounding, symbolic, and defiant: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is busy getting the red carpet treatment while attending the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have arrived in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit – the primarily China/Russia founded Eurasian political, economic and international security organization which is now made up of ten member states
The bold defiance in terms of the optics will surely not be missed by Washington:
Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have arrived in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also attending the summit, which marks 25 years of its existence.
Also in attendance for the two-day summit which kicked off Monday, and which has already included a Putin-Xi meeting on the sidelines, are the leaders of Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and others.
“Uncertainty grows against the backdrop of unprecedented changes” — China’s Xi Jinping tells Vladimir Putin
Notably, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also there, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
🇮🇷 Kyrgyz people welcomed President Pezeshkian with traditional sweets.
During his visit to Kyrgyzstan, in addition to participating in and delivering a speech at the summit of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the “SCO plus” format, President… pic.twitter.com/wL4a6dFSy2
— 𝕊𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕻𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 (@SprinterPress) August 31, 2026
Warm greetings between Iranian and Pakistani leaders…
#VIDEO: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. pic.twitter.com/XdU0IBBcbP
— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) August 31, 2026
It must be remembered that Pakistan is a long-running nuclear-armed Washington ally… so this is awkward to say the least, for the US.
But Islamabad has also been a key mediator throughout the now 6-month long Iran war. Whenever its officials get dispatched to Tehran, the relationship with Iranian officials seems chummy and warm. This has already been on display at the SCO conference…
Meeting between the Prime Minister and the President of Iran on the sidelines of SCO CHS Meeting in Bishkek.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with the President of Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian today, on the sidelines of SCO Council of… pic.twitter.com/liQazEaA1R
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) August 31, 2026
Tehran is hoping that its membership and active involvement in regional accords such as the SCO as well as BRICS can be a key to weathering the US-led economic storm and strong sanctions regimen.
Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reaffirmed in a statement that cooperation between China and Iran “has always been conducted within the framework of international law and should not be interfered with or disrupted.” So far, US Treasury sanctions have yet to take direct aim at significant Chinese financial institutions.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 08/31/2026 – 21:20
