The seventh round of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan concluded in Russia on Tuesday, issuing a joint statement declaring any attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries as “unacceptable.”

The statement also stressed that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten the security of any other country.

“The parties emphasised that Afghanistan should be supported to undertake comprehensive measures aimed at the elimination of terrorism and its eradication within a short timeframe so that Afghan soil is not used as a threat to the security of the neighbouring countries and beyond,” the joint statement released after the consultations said.

It added that participating countries reaffirmed their “unwavering support for the establishment of Afghanistan as an independent, united and peaceful state.”

For the first time, Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister attended the session, which was hosted by Russia and attended by representatives from Pakistan, China, Iran, India, and Central Asian states.

According to the communiqué, participants reaffirmed support for closer cooperation with Afghanistan to combat terrorism and reiterated their backing for the Afghan people and government in eliminating terrorist threats.

The statement underscored that terrorism remains a serious challenge to the security of Afghanistan and the wider region.

The participants emphasised the need to enhance the role of regional frameworks and expressed full support for Afghanistan’s integration into regional connectivity and cooperation mechanisms.

Participants urged the international community to continue providing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people and called “unacceptable the attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring states,” saying such moves would not serve regional peace or stability.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Muhammad Sadiq, shared on the social media platform X that a four-nation meeting had been held in Moscow, bringing together special envoys from Pakistan, China, Russia, and Iran.

He said the participants reviewed regional peace and security issues and reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a stable, sovereign, and peaceful Afghanistan, free from terrorism and foreign interference.

Sadiq added that all four countries expressed concern over the presence of banned terrorist groups in Afghanistan, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Jaish al-Adl, Daesh (ISIS), and al-Qaeda.

The participants also agreed to enhance coordination and joint action in the fight against terrorism.

During separate meetings with his Chinese and Iranian counterparts, Sadiq discussed regional security, counterterrorism cooperation, and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

In a statement, he said his meeting with Iran’s special envoy Mohammad Reza Bahrami focused on the latest developments in Afghanistan, particularly the growing threat of terrorism.

Both sides emphasised the importance of continued dialogue and coordination to address shared challenges.

In his meeting with China’s envoy Yu Xiao Yong, both sides stressed the need for a coordinated strategy to promote lasting peace and stability in the region.

Sadiq noted that the meeting highlighted the strong Pakistan–China partnership in tackling common challenges and advancing regional development.

He also met with Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, to discuss ways to further strengthen regional cooperation on Afghan matters.

The conference was inaugurated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who welcomed the participation of the Taliban Foreign Minister and emphasised that stability in Afghanistan is vital for regional peace.

Lavrov sharply criticised Western countries, accusing them of abandoning Afghanistan and “pushing its people into hardship.”

He also called for the immediate release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets held in Western banks to provide much-needed economic relief to the Afghan people.

Pakistan was represented at the meeting by Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq, along with Charge d’Affaires Giyan Chand and Ambassador Ubaid Nizamani from the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.