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Foreign ministers from across Eurasia have gathered in Tianjin, China, for a two-day summit of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for high-stakes diplomatic discussions over several pressing global and regional challenges.

The talks, which began on July 15, 2025, have brought together top diplomats from all ten SCO member states: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

The meeting, viewed as crucial to lay the groundwork for the upcoming SCO Heads of State Summit scheduled for August 31 to September 1 in the same city, centers on deepening multilateral cooperation, navigating growing geopolitical friction, and charting the bloc’s future direction.

Several critical issues are on the agenda, including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the protracted war in Ukraine, and the unresolved tension surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. According to diplomatic sources, a series of resolutions and official declarations are expected to be signed by the end of the ministerial round.

Dialogue amid diverging agendas

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar took to social media to reaffirm his country’s commitment to the organization’s founding values. “At the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting today, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to multilateralism, mutual respect, and regional stability,” Dar posted. “The Shanghai Spirit continues to guide us towards dialogue, mutual trust, and the pursuit of a more just and inclusive international order.”

This year’s host, China, has continued to position the organization as a counterweight to Western-led alliances, using the platform to project regional influence and deepen political alignment with strategic partners such as Russia and Iran.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also met with foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the SCO in Beijing. Xi said, “China has always prioritized the SCO in its neighborhood diplomacy, and is committed to making the organization more substantive and stronger, safeguarding regional security and stability, promoting the development and prosperity of member states and building a closer community with a shared future.”

President Xi, who is expected to meet leaders of the member states during the summit later this year, has reiterated China’s vision for the SCO. Xi called on the bloc to prioritize “mutual benefit” and “trust” as core principles, stating they must serve as the cornerstones of “cooperation, equality, and consultation,” while advocating respect for diverse civilizations and development models.

Iran’s nuclear program under the spotlight

On the sidelines of the summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a closed-door bilateral meeting to address mounting international concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement following the talks, stating: “The parties continued their exchange of views on issues related to the regional and international agendas that are of mutual interest. Once again, emphasis was placed on the importance of resolving the crisis around Iran’s nuclear program exclusively through politico-diplomatic means in accordance with international law norms.”

🇷🇺🤝🇮🇷Lavrov holds talks with Iranian FM Araghchi at the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting in China pic.twitter.com/Jq5A5vMcUz

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 15, 2025

Despite years of negotiations and intermittent progress, Tehran’s nuclear program remains a flashpoint in global diplomacy. The United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 and Iran’s subsequent reduction of its compliance with the deal have fueled speculation over a possible escalation.

The SCO platform, which includes key Iranian allies such as China and Russia, may offer Tehran much-needed diplomatic support, considering its increasing isolation from Western powers.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi agreed to maintain future contacts at multiple levels, signaling continued engagement between Moscow and Tehran despite the shifting sands of Middle Eastern diplomacy.

India-China relations in focus

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also made headlines with a high-level diplomatic overture to Beijing just ahead of the ministerial meeting. Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vice President Han Zheng on July 14, Jaishankar emphasized India’s willingness to work with China under the framework of the SCO.

“India supports a successful Chinese presidency at the SCO,” Jaishankar said during his opening remarks at the summit, adding that the India-China bilateral relationship has been steadily improving since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October. “I am confident that my discussions in this visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” Jaishankar said.

Held detailed talks with Politburo Member and FM Wang Yi in Beijing this evening.

Spoke about the need for a far-seeing approach to bilateral ties and building a stable & constructive relationship.

Incumbent on us to address aspects related to the border, normalizing… pic.twitter.com/8zBRBoaKQE

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 14, 2025

“As neighboring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important. I look forward to such discussions during this visit,” he added.

Jaishankar’s meetings with his Iranian and Russian counterparts further highlighted India’s efforts to recalibrate its role within the region amid a complex web of alignments.

Preparing for the August summit

The current foreign ministers’ meeting marks the official groundwork for the SCO summit later this year, where leaders are expected to present a unified roadmap for regional security, trade connectivity, and digital infrastructure cooperation. The inclusion of new member states such as Belarus reflects the group’s expanding political significance.

The SCO, comprising almost half the world’s population and a significant share of global GDP, is increasingly seen as a platform for non-Western powers to shape a new multipolar order. While it lacks the military integration of NATO or the economic cohesion of the European Union, the SCO’s broad membership allows it to function as a strategic dialogue forum, where diverse powers like India and China can maintain open channels despite their bilateral disputes.

As the Tianjin summit moves forward, member states appear committed to upholding the organization’s principles, even as external pressures mount and internal divisions linger. Whether this meeting can produce meaningful outcomes or merely serve as a diplomatic placeholder ahead of the August summit remains to be seen. Nonetheless, the growing importance of the SCO in shaping Eurasia’s geopolitical landscape is unmistakable.