In a rare display of alignment, Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia have jointly rejected proposals for the establishment of any US military bases in or around Afghanistan, insisting upon respect for Kabul’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, The Times of India states. The statement was issued following a meeting of the foreign ministers from each of the four nations on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a communiqué published on September 27, it was stressed that any foreign military installations in the region would be contrary to the principle of non-interference. To this end it was declared that no military bases in or around Afghanistan should be permitted. In just the past week, US President Donald Trump has been pushing for the US military to retake control of the sprawling Bagram Afghan airbase near Kabul, long operated by the US Air Force, in what is being painted in the US media at least as a move to help limit Chinese nuclear expansion in the area.

Trump’s administration has, according to The Times of India citing regional sources, been exploring options for keeping a military footprint in Afghanistan.

Key stakeholders in the region have, however, expressed concern that permanent bases or even long-term military deployments could undermine regional stability. For Islamabad, the issue carries high political stakes, especially given its historical sensitivity over any foreign military presence near its borders. Meanwhile, Beijing, Moscow and Tehran also share apprehensions about US influence extending into areas they regard as within their strategic periphery, The Times of India adds.

During the foreign ministers’ meeting, Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia urged that any arrangements involving foreign defence infrastructure should be made only with the full consent of the Afghan government in order to help preserve its territorial integrity.

No obvious response from the US has yet been made, although Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth has called a meeting in the coming days in which, according to abc NEWS, hundreds of senior US generals and admirals will sit before Hegseth as he “delivers his message of restoring the "warrior ethos" to the US military and presents new standards toward that goal.” Pentagon figures reveal that the US currently has over 830 generals and admirals, and with all on one place, at one time this itself poses a major security risk.

Yet, with international attention on Afghanistan set to intensify, particularly with regards to governance and security, the rejection of proposed US bases by four countries often seen as hostile to the US only adds another layer of complexity to the diplomatic landscape.