Connexion
Joint Statement (https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/rso/sovet-sotrudnicestva-arabskih-gosudarstv-persidskogo-zaliva-ssagpz-/2046392/?lang=en) following the 8th round of the Russia–Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue (https://t.me/MFARussia/26356)at the level of Foreign Ministers on the Israeli Aggression on the State of Qatar (11 September 2025)
The Ministers strongly condemned the attack perpetrated against the State of Qatar (https://t.me/MFARussia/26341) on September 9, 2025, by Israeli occupation forces, which targeted residential facilities housing several members of the political bureau of Hamas in the capital, Doha, during the negotiations.
The attack resulted in the martyrdom of a member of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) and several members of the movement, while also endangering the lives of civilians in Qatar, constituting a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
The Ministers affirmed that the attack constitutes a clear violation of international law and norms, an assault on the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, and a deliberate undermining of diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.
They stressed that such actions demand a clear and firm international stance – one that holds the international community accountable for its moral, political, and legal responsibilities, and leads to effective measures to deter Israel and put an end to its repeated violations of international peace and security principles.
The Ministers also called upon the international community and the Security Council to assume their responsibilities in halting these aggressions and preventing their recurrence, emphasizing that the continuation of this approach will exacerbate tensions in the region and undermine opportunities for achieving security and stability.
The Ministers warned that the absence of a serious and decisive international stance will have grave repercussions on regional and international peace and security.
We have a formal version from the Russian MFA
The leaders of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (hereinafter referred to as the SCO or the Organisation), following the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States in Tianjin on 1 September 2025, declare the following.
I
The world is undergoing profound historical changes that affect all spheres of political, socio-economic and social relations. There is a growing desire to create a more just, equitable and representative multipolar world order that opens up new prospects for the development of states and mutually beneficial international cooperation.
At the same time, geopolitical confrontation, challenges and threats to security and stability, including in the SCO region, are intensifying. The global economy, especially international commodity and financial markets, is experiencing serious turmoil.
The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II and the creation of the United Nations (UN). The Great Victory, which was made possible by the unity of the peoples of all peace-loving countries in their opposition to Nazism, fascism and militarism, determined the further course of world history and created the conditions for the formation of a stable system of international relations guaranteeing the peaceful development of humanity. Member States call for the preservation of the historical memory of the heroic deeds of peoples and the lessons of the Second World War.
The United Nations has established itself as a unique intergovernmental association within which effective and much-needed cooperation has been built to ensure peace and security, socio-economic development and human rights. Member States reaffirm their commitment to the formation of a more representative, democratic, just and multipolar world order based on universally recognised principles of international law, including those enshrined in the UN Charter, respect for cultural diversity, and mutually beneficial and equal cooperation between states with the UN playing a central coordinating role.
They consider it necessary to adapt the UN to modern political and economic realities by carrying out a balanced reform to ensure the representation of developing countries in the governing bodies of the UN.
The member states reaffirmed their commitment to equal and full observance of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the SCO Charter, as well as other universally recognised principles and norms of international law in relations between SCO member states.
Member States advocate respect for the right of peoples to independently and democratically choose their own paths of political and socio-economic development, and emphasise that the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of states, equality, mutual benefit, non-interference in internal affairs, and non-use of force or threat of force are the basis for the sustainable development of international relations.
Reaffirming their commitment to the goals and principles of the SCO Charter, the member states will continue to act in accordance with the ”Shanghai spirit,“ which embodies mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultation, respect for cultural diversity and the pursuit of common development, and will consistently deepen cooperation in the interests of security, stability and sustainable development in the SCO region.
The member states adhere to a line that excludes bloc and confrontational approaches to solving international and regional development problems.
They emphasise that cooperation within the SCO can serve as a basis for the formation of an architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia.
The member states noted the initiative to develop a Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century, aimed at consolidating development processes on the Eurasian continent.
Taking into account the views of member states, they reaffirmed the relevance of initiatives to promote cooperation in building a new type of international relations in the spirit of mutual respect, justice, equality and mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as the formation of a common vision of the idea of creating a community of shared future for mankind and developing dialogue on the idea of ”One Earth. One Family. One Future.“ Member States call on the international community to join the SCO Initiative ”On Global Unity for a Just World, Harmony and Development.“
Member States noted the initiative to adopt a special resolution of the UN General Assembly entitled ”Decade for the Consolidation of Peace for Future Generations.“
Member States reaffirm that Central Asia is the core of the SCO and support the efforts of Central Asian states to ensure peace, security and stability in their countries and in the region as a whole. In this regard, they noted the holding of the international conference ”Central Asia – the core of the SCO: 25 years of cooperation for joint development“ (Dushanbe, 19 June 2025), as well as the initiative to organise it on an annual basis.
The member states reaffirm the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights, as well as their commitment to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and oppose the application of ”double standards“ in human rights issues and interference in the internal affairs of other states under the pretext of protecting them.
In order to further improve the activities of the SCO, the member states adopted the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, which defines the priority tasks and main directions for deepening multifaceted cooperation in the interests of ensuring peace and stability, development and prosperity in the SCO space.
II
Member States are committed to ensuring sustainable international peace and call for joint efforts to counter traditional and new security challenges and threats.
Member States reaffirm their determination to continue the joint fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as against the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, arms smuggling and other forms of transnational organised crime.
Member States signed the Agreement on the Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats to the Security of SCO Member States and the Agreement on the SCO Anti-Drug Centre.
Member States noted the proposal to establish a Centre for Strategic Studies in the field of security.
Member States will continue to actively implement the Programme of Cooperation of SCO Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2025–2027 (Astana, 4 July 2024).
The Member States strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stress that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and call on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists, with the central role of the United Nations, by fully implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolution and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in accordance with the UN Charter and the principles of international law, in order to jointly combat all terrorist organizations. They stress the importance of adopting by consensus a Comprehensive convention on international terrorism.
Member States strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025.
Member States also strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on Jaffer Express on 11 March and in Khuzdar on 21 May 2025.
They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice.
The Member States, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for mercenary purposes. They recognize the leading role of sovereign States and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats.
Emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation in combating terrorism and its financing, the Member States noted the outcomes of the High-Level International Conference on Strengthening International Cooperation in Combating Terrorism and Establishing Flexible Mechanisms for Border Security – Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process (Kuwait City, 4–5 November 2024).
They noted the proposal to hold the next round of the High-Level International Conference on Border Security and Management within the framework of the Dushanbe Process in 2026 in New York.
Member States highly appreciate the role of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in conducting joint anti-terrorist and command-staff exercises, information and counter-propaganda operations, and other practical measures to monitor the situation in the region. In this context, they noted the results of the joint counter-terrorism exercise ”Interaction – Anti-Terror – 2024“ (SUAR, PRC, 19 July 2024) and confirm their readiness to continue joint actions aimed at strengthening the counter-terrorism activities of the SCO.
The member states will continue to step up joint efforts to prevent the spread of radical ideologies, religious intolerance and xenophobia, aggressive nationalism, and ethnic and racial discrimination. They adopted the Programme of Cooperation of Member States in Countering Extremist Ideology in the SCO Area for 2026–2030, aimed, inter alia, at the implementation by the participating States of the SCO Convention on Countering Extremism (Astana, 9 June 2017).
The member states welcomed the annual UN General Assembly resolution ”Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to escalating contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.“
Member States noted the importance of further implementing the Agreement on Cooperation and Interaction between SCO Member States on Border Issues (Ufa, 10 July 2015) and, in this regard, the results of the joint border operation of the border services of the competent authorities of the SCO member states, ”Solidarity-2024“.
Reiterating their deep concern over the continuing escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the member states strongly condemn the actions that have led to numerous casualties among the civilian population and a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
They stress the need to ensure an immediate, complete and sustainable ceasefire, access to humanitarian aid, and intensified efforts to achieve peace, stability and security for all residents of the region.
Member States note that the only possible way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is through a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question.
Member States strongly condemned the military strikes by Israel and the United States of America against the Islamic Republic of Iran in June 2025. Such aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in the death of civilians, are a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, and an infringement on the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran. They undermine regional and international security and have serious implications for global peace and stability.
They noted that the physical nuclear safety and security of nuclear facilities must be ensured on a permanent basis, including during periods of armed conflict, in order to protect the population and the environment from harm. In this regard, they reaffirmed their commitment to diplomatic initiatives aimed at the peaceful resolution of the issues that have arisen.
Member States reaffirmed the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), emphasising that it is binding and must be implemented in full in accordance with its provisions, and consider that any attempts to interpret it arbitrarily undermine the authority of the UN Security Council.
They called for the resumption of constructive dialogue between the parties involved and for a focus on jointly seeking solutions that would prevent further escalation of the situation.
Reaffirming their commitment to the establishment of Afghanistan as an independent, neutral and peaceful state, free from terrorism, war and drugs, the Member States expressed their readiness to support the efforts of the international community to ensure peace and development in that country.
Member States reiterated that the formation of an inclusive government with broad participation of representatives of all ethno-political groups of Afghan society is the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the country.
Member States noted the activities of the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
Expressing their readiness to develop effective cooperation through their defence ministries, the member states noted the proposal to prepare and sign an agreement between SCO member states on confidence-building measures in the military sphere.
Member States are in favour of further deepening practical cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, including the suppression of crimes involving the use of information and communication technologies and the spread of new psychoactive substances. They emphasised the importance of implementing the three international conventions on drug control and the relevant SCO regulatory and legal documents.
Member States will continue to coordinate their positions on drug-related issues in the relevant UN bodies and other international organisations and structures. In this context, they welcomed the results of the regular special event organised by the SCO and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ”The UN and the SCO for the improvement of forensic expertise in combating drug trafficking using the Internet“ (Vienna, 10 March 2025).
Expressing concern about the growth in the illicit production, distribution and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances, the member states advocate joint efforts to reduce demand for drugs. In this regard, they support the regular conduct of the anti-drug operation ”Web“, the preventive campaign ”For a world without drugs“ and other activities.
In the context of growing security challenges and threats, they noted plans to hold the SCO Plus Dialogue on Security Issues in Tashkent.
The member states support the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the SCO Secretariat and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC). They consider it important to ensure harmonious interaction between the SCO Anti-Drug Centre, which is currently being established, and CARICC.
Member States reiterate that the unilateral and unrestrained development of global anti-missile defence systems by individual countries or groups of countries has a negative impact on international security and stability. They consider attempts to ensure their own security at the expense of the security of other countries to be unacceptable.
Member States participating in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968 advocate strict compliance with the provisions of the Treaty, the comprehensive and balanced promotion of all the objectives and principles enshrined therein, and support the strengthening of the process of global nuclear disarmament and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. They emphasize their inalienable right to develop research, production and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, and to engage in equal, sustainable and mutually beneficial international cooperation without discrimination in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Member States emphasized that unilateral restrictive measures in this area are contrary to international law and are unacceptable.
Member States are committed to keeping outer space free of weapons of any kind and note the importance of strict compliance with the existing legal regime, which provides for the exclusively peaceful use of outer space. They stress the need to conclude an international legally binding instrument that would enhance transparency and provide reliable guarantees to prevent an arms race in outer space.
Member States call for full compliance with the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC) as an important instrument in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation. Member States reaffirm their support for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and advocate consensus decision-making in order to overcome differences within the Organisation and ensure its effective functioning in accordance with the Convention. Taking into account the completion of the destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles, they stress the importance of continuing the work of this international technical structure in the interests of all CWC States Parties. They support the expansion of the membership of the CWC.
The Member States, noting the importance of the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BTWC), advocate strict compliance with the Convention, strengthening international cooperation and the adoption of a legally binding Protocol to it, providing for an effective verification mechanism, with a view to improving the global biological security system. They oppose the creation of any mechanisms that duplicate the functions of the BTWC.
In this context, Member States, referring to UN General Assembly Resolution 7979 (2024) ”Strengthening and Institutionalising the BWC“, emphasised the importance of deepening cooperation for its implementation, including the possible establishment of an International Agency for Biological Safety.
Member States, expressing concern about the growing risks in the field of information security, strongly oppose the militarisation of the information and communication technology sphere and the creation of threats to the security of critical information infrastructure.
Member States consider it important to ensure equal rights for all countries to regulate the Internet and the sovereign right of states to manage it in their national segments.
Reaffirming their intention to deepen cooperation in the field of international information security and to jointly combat the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist and other criminal purposes, the Member States emphasise the key role of the UN in countering threats in the information space. In this regard, they support the further development, on a voluntary basis, of universal norms in the field of international information security within the framework of the United Nations and call for efforts to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, as well as to improve mechanisms for combating information crime.
Member States are ready to further deepen cooperation in the legal and judicial fields. In this regard, they advocated for the further implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministries of Justice of the SCO Member States (Dushanbe, 18 August 2015).
They will continue to coordinate their efforts in the fight against corruption and call on the international community to refuse to grant asylum to persons who have committed corruption offences.
III
The Republic of Belarus, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan, reaffirming their support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), noted the ongoing work on the joint implementation of this project, including efforts to align the development of the Eurasian Economic Union and the BRI.
The member states consider it important to use the potential of the countries of the region, international organisations and multilateral associations to create a broad, open, mutually beneficial and equitable space for interaction in Eurasia in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and taking into account national interests. In this regard, they reiterated the initiative to establish a Greater Eurasian Partnership and expressed their readiness to develop dialogue between the SCO, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as other interested states and multilateral associations.
The member states note the role of the SCO region in restoring the global economy, maintaining the stability of global production and supply chains, and ensuring further sustainable development.
Member States support the further improvement and reform of the global economic governance architecture and will consistently uphold and strengthen an open, transparent, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory and multilateral trading system based on universally recognised international principles and rules, which promotes the development of an open global economy, ensures fair market access and provides special and differential treatment for developing countries.
The Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO adopted a statement on support for the multilateral trading system.
Member States oppose unilateral coercive measures, including those of an economic nature, that contravene the UN Charter and other norms of international law, the rules and principles of the World Trade Organisation, damaging the interests of international security, including its food and energy components, negatively affecting the global economy, undermining fair competition, hindering international cooperation and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Member States noted the initiative to develop an agreement on trade facilitation within the SCO.
Member States are in favour of further deepening people-centred cooperation on issues related to improving the well-being and living standards of the population in the SCO area. They will continue to implement the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation, as well as the SCO Economic Development Strategy for the period up to 2030 and the Action Plan for its implementation by the interested parties.
The member states noted the important practical contribution of the Forum of Heads of Regions and the SCO Business Council to the development of trade and economic cooperation within the Organisation.
Member States will, in accordance with their national legislation, develop cooperation on a voluntary basis through special economic zones, including the use by interested States of the potential of the China-SCO Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Demonstration Zone in Qingdao.
Member States aim to promote cooperation in the field of e-commerce, develop digital trade infrastructure, and bridge the gap between developed and developing countries in the digital economy. They noted the proposal to develop a Programme of Cooperation among SCO Member States in the Field of E-commerce.
A statement by the Council of Heads of SCO Member States on strengthening cooperation in the digital economy was adopted.
The member states noted the proposal to establish a SCO mechanism for export credit and investment.
Member States note the role of the innovative and creative economy in ensuring sustainable growth in the countries of the region. They emphasise that support for innovation and creative industries contributes to increasing the competitiveness of economies, developing small and medium-sized businesses, and expanding the employment market in SCO member states, especially in remote and rural areas.
In this context, they advocated intensifying the work of the SCO Technoparks and Innovation Clusters Pool, and noted proposals to develop the SCO Future Technologies Programme and utilise the potential of the Alem.AI international centre for innovation implementation.
The member states consider it important to further promote cooperation within the Association of Investors of SCO Member States among its participants, and in this regard, they noted the results of the first meeting of this mechanism (Astana, 18 March 2025). They advocated expanding the SCO Member States’ Economic Preferences Database in order to deepen investment and economic cooperation.
They noted the adoption of the Statement by the heads of authorised ministries and departments of SCO member states on strengthening investment cooperation in the field of sustainable development, as well as the proposal to adopt a set of measures to stimulate mutual investment in SCO member states.
Member States recognise the importance of cooperation in the field of antitrust policy and intend to increase practical cooperation through the relevant agencies.
Member States support the reform of the international financial architecture aimed at increasing the representation and role of developing countries in the governing bodies of international financial institutions, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Monetary Fund.
Member States emphasise the important role of cooperation in the financial sphere in promoting economic growth in the SCO area. They stressed the importance of further implementation by interested SCO member states of the Roadmap for the gradual increase of the share of national currencies in mutual settlements (Samarkand, 16 September 2022).
Reaffirming the importance of establishing a SCO Development Bank, the interested member states decided to establish it and intensify consultations on a range of issues related to the functioning of this financial institution.
The member states emphasise the important role of the Interbank Association (IBA), which over twenty years of operation has become a sought-after mechanism in the financial sphere. They advocate accelerating the resolution of the issue of connecting the authorised bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the work of the IBA.
Member States noted the effective work of the SCO Consortium of Economic Analytical Centres and the proposal to establish a network of financial analytical centres.
Member States noted the holding of the 20th meeting of the SCO Forum (New Delhi, 21–22 May 2025), in which the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies participated for the first time.
Member States are committed to developing mutually beneficial cooperation in the industrial sector, including by establishing the exchange of data on industrial investment projects and holding congress and exhibition events. In this context, they noted the results of the Meeting of Ministers of Industry of the SCO Member States (Yekaterinburg, 7 July 2025) held on the sidelines of the INNOPROM International Industrial Exhibition.
A statement by the Council of Heads of SCO Member States on cooperation in the field of green industry was adopted.
The member states support the expansion of inclusive and mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of energy, the steady improvement of the sustainability of energy production and supply chains, and are ready to promote the sustainable, stable and balanced development of a non-discriminatory global energy market.
The SCO Council of Heads of State adopted a statement on sustainable energy development and approved a roadmap for implementing the Strategy for Energy Cooperation among SCO Member States for the period up to 2030.
Given the instability in international energy markets, member states noted the importance of strengthening cooperation, including in the areas of energy security, energy infrastructure protection, promotion of investment cooperation, and a just energy transition for the sustainable development of regional energy. They will explore the possibility of developing and adopting a comprehensive plan to stimulate multidisciplinary cooperation in the field of renewable energy .
They advocated for increased energy cooperation with SCO dialogue partners and supported the proposal to hold a high-level SCO-LAC meeting on ”Climate Change and Sustainable Energy“ (Astana, 3 October 2025).
Sharing the international community’s desire to strengthen interconnectivity, the member states advocate for the further development of cooperation in the transport sector on a fair and balanced basis in accordance with international law, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the SCO Charter. They emphasise the importance of creating new and modernising existing international transport routes, in cluding promoting the activities of the North-South and East-West corridors, utilising the transit potential of SCO member states, and note the initiatives of SCO countries on transport infrastructure and ensuring the stable and uninterrupted functioning of supply chains through the digitalisation of logistics procedures, including the organisation of electronic data exchange on goods moving between SCO countries and the introduction of technological innovations.
The member states noted the start of construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
Member States will continue to implement the intergovernmental Agreement on the creation of favourable conditions for international road transport (Dushanbe, 12 September 2014), approved by the decisions of the SCO Council of Heads of Government on the Concept of cooperation between SCO member states on the development of connectivity and the creation of effective transport corridors (Samarkand, 12 September 2022) and the Concept of Cooperation of SCO Member States on Decarbonisation of Transport, Promotion of Digital Transformation and Innovative Technologies to Achieve Greater Efficiency and Sustainability (New Delhi, 4 July 2023).
In this context, they noted the results of the meeting of the Joint Commission on the Creation of Favourable Conditions for International Road Transport (Moscow, 20 November 2024), the Meeting of Heads of Railway Administrations (Railways) of SCO Member States (Moscow, 29 November 2024), the meeting of transport ministers of SCO member states (Tianjin, 2 July 2025), and supported the proposal to hold a meeting of heads of ports and logistics centres of SCO member states (Aktau, November 2025).
The member states noted the leading role of the Special Working Group in strengthening customs cooperation, including on issues of continuous improvement of the customs administration system and customs law enforcement cooperation, mutual recognition of authorised economic operators, creation of an electronic database for verification of certificates of origin of goods, development of digitalisation and the ”Single Window“ and ”Smart Customs“ mechanisms.
Member States will increase cooperation in the field of veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, ensuring the safety of agricultural and food products, promote the development of trade in agricultural products and strengthen international cooperation in combating epidemics and infections, as well as their consequences.
Member States are committed to promoting cooperation in the field of standardisation in order to facilitate socio-economic development within the SCO.
Member States will continue to strengthen cooperation in the field of agriculture and food security, agricultural science and education, including taking into account the potential of the SCO Demonstration Base for the exchange and training of agricultural technologies. They noted the successful holding of the Agro-SCO exhibition (Minsk, 3–6 June 2025) and the initiative to create an electronic platform called the SCO Food Security Atlas.
IV
Member States note the importance of further deepening cooperation in the field of education, including with a view to reducing the digital divide. In this regard, the effective work of the SCO University, the development of investment in digital skills training, and the strengthening of cooperation in the field of vocational and technical education are of great value.
Member States emphasise the importance of enhancing scientific, technical and innovative cooperation, including the implementation of multilateral joint projects. They advocate deepening cooperation in the field of scientific and technical achievements and innovations. In this regard, they welcomed the results of the 5th SCO Start-up Forum (New Delhi, 3–5 April 2025).
Recognising the vital role of science, technology and innovation in ensuring sustainable development and addressing global challenges, the member states advocate for the equal participation of countries of the Global South in promoting open and equitable international cooperation in the interests of building an innovation-driven global economy.
Member States, building on the UN General Assembly Resolution on Strengthening International Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence Capacity Building, emphasise that all countries have equal rights to develop and use artificial intelligence.
They noted their readiness to work together to prevent risks in order to continuously improve the security, accountability, reliability, transparency, inclusiveness, trustworthiness and fairness of artificial intelligence technologies for the benefit of all humanity. In this regard, they advocated for the implementation of the Roadmap for the Implementation of the SCO Member States’ Cooperation Programme on Artificial Intelligence Development (Chengdu, 12 June 2025).
The member states welcomed the UN General Assembly Resolution ”The role of artificial intelligence in creating new opportunities for sustainable development in Central Asia“ of 25 July 2025, which notes the initiative to establish a Regional Artificial Intelligence Centre in Dushanbe.
Member States noted the proposals to establish mechanisms for cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, as well as on advanced and breakthrough technologies of the SCO.
Member States highly appreciate the contribution made by the city of Qingdao of the People’s Republic of China to unlocking the region’s tourism potential and further strengthening cooperation in the field of culture as the ”SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital in 2024–2025.“
Member States welcome the announcement of Cholpon-Ata as the ”SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital in 2025–2026“. They noted the proposal to hold an anniversary meeting of the Chingiz Aitmatov Issyk-Kul Forum in Cholpon-Ata under the auspices of the SCO.
Member States will strive to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of tourism, develop tourism infrastructure and increase tourist flows.
The member states emphasised the importance of developing global dialogue between civilisations and bringing peoples closer together, as well as international cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture, and the preservation and promotion of rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage. In this regard, they highly appreciated the results of the SCO Member States Arts Festival (Qingdao, 7 July 2025) and noted the upcoming events – the Intervision International Music Competition (Moscow, 20 September 2025), the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference (Samarkand, 30 October – 13 November 2025) and the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (New Delhi, 8–13 December 2025).
Recognising the coordinating role of the World Health Organisation in international efforts to protect public health, Member States shall strive to establish a fair, effective and sustainable public health system, build capacity and cooperation in the areas of emergency medical care, telemedicine, traditional/folk medicine and primary health care to ensure preparedness, prevention and response to possible pandemics.
In this regard, they highly appreciated the results of the Meeting of Health Ministers of SCO Member States (Xi’an, 28 April 2025) and the 8th Meeting of Heads of Services of SCO Member States Responsible for Ensuring Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-being (St. Petersburg, 12 December 2024). They noted the proposals to establish a Global Coalition of Countries for Primary Health Care and a SCO Medical Association in a stakeholder format, as well as a working group on the provision of essential and emergency medical products within the SCO.
Member States, seeking to deepen cooperation in the field of sport, noted the importance of removing barriers to participation in sporting competitions. They stressed that major international sporting events should be organised in a spirit of peace, mutual understanding and international cooperation, friendship and tolerance, without discrimination on any grounds.
Member States welcomed the annual SCO Kunming Marathon (29 December 2024) and the SCO Issyk-Kul Marathon (Cholpon-Ata, 3 May 2025), which strengthen international sports, cultural and tourism ties.
The member states noted the proposals to hold the SCO Open Cup in 2026, as well as international sporting events with the participation of SCO member states in the Russian Federation, agreed to continue working on the creation of a SCO Sports Organisations Association and a SCO Member States Working Group on Physical Culture and Sport, and emphasised the importance of developing the China-SCO Winter Sports Demonstration Zone (Heilongjiang).
Member States will strengthen cooperation on sustainable development issues, including in the field of industry, efficient waste management and resource use in accordance with the principles of environmental protection, energy conservation and clean energy development, with a view to ensuring the SCO’s contribution to promoting sustainable socio-economic development.
Member States note the need to continue cooperation in areas such as environmental protection, restoration and conservation of biodiversity, combating desertification, dust storms and land degradation, as well as conservation of mountain ecosystems.
Member States highly appreciate the work carried out within the framework of the SCO Year of Sustainable Development in 2025 and reaffirm their commitment to deepening practical cooperation to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, they noted the results of the SCO forums on sustainable development (Omsk, 16 April 2025) and poverty reduction and sustainable development (Xi’an, 20 May 2025), as well as the importance of developing a Roadmap for cooperation among SCO member states in the field of social development and social protection.
The member states welcomed the results of the High-Level International Conference on Glacier Conservation within the framework of the International Year of Glacier Conservation 2025 (Dushanbe, 29–31 May 2025).
Member States supported the holding of a Regional Climate Summit in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2026 with the support of the UN.
Member States welcome cooperation in the field of emergency assistance and express their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the prevention of and response to emergencies, as well as in the elimination of their consequences.
Member States, emphasising the importance of creating conditions for the safe development of the younger generation and reducing the risks of its involvement in illegal activities, will contribute to the further strengthening of youth cooperation. They, highly appreciating the consistent work of the SCO Youth Council in addressing these issues, will continue to facilitate exchanges between youth organisations.
In this regard, they welcomed the results of the Meeting of Young Leaders and Talents of SCO Member States (East Kazakhstan Region, 31 July – 2 August 2025), as well as the events held in 2024–2025 as part of the SCO Business Incubator International Youth Acceleration Programme.
Member States welcome the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution of 17 December 2024 proclaiming 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.
Reaffirming their commitment to ensuring the rights of women and children, including in the areas of education, health care, social and legal protection, preservation and strengthening of the institution of the family, and non-discrimination, the member states advocate for strengthening contacts between women’s associations as an important area of SCO activity. They consider it necessary to hold regular forums, congresses and meetings of women, as well as to establish a mechanism for interaction between the relevant structures of SCO member states.
Member states will continue to build interregional contacts and continuously deepen mutual understanding and traditional friendship through people-to-people diplomacy institutions, friendly public organisations, sister cities and local authorities. They note the contribution of the SCO Committee on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation (People’s Republic of China), the SCO Centre for People’s Diplomacy (Republic of Uzbekistan), the SCO Cultural and Integration Centre (Kyrgyz Republic), the SCO Centre for Friendship and Cooperation (Republic of Tajikistan), the SCO National Centre for People’s Diplomacy (Russian Federation) and the Centre for SCO Studies at the Indian Council for World Affairs in strengthening cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
V
The member states advocate for the expansion of SCO cooperation with interested states, partner organisations and other international associations on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and the SCO Charter.
Member States emphasise that expanding exchanges and cooperation with the UN and its structures is a priority area of SCO international relations, and are ready to continue high-level dialogue with the UN and its structures in order to enhance the ability to counter all kinds of challenges and threats in the name of peace, stability and sustainable development.
Member States reaffirm their determination to deepen coordination and dialogue on international legal and other relevant issues on the global agenda.
The member states have decided to combine the statuses of ”observer“ and ”dialogue partner“ into a single status of ”SCO partner“.
Member States note with satisfaction the decision to grant the Lao People’s Democratic Republic the status of SCO dialogue partner.
Member States highly appreciate the results of the People’s Republic of China’s chairmanship of the SCO in 2024–2025, which contributed to deepening mutual understanding, trust, friendship and cooperation between the peoples of member states and strengthening the Organisation’s authority.
The SCO chairmanship will pass to the Kyrgyz Republic and will be held under the slogan ”25 years of the SCO: together towards sustainable peace, development and prosperity“. The next meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO will be held in 2026 in the Kyrgyz Republic.
President of the Republic of Belarus A.G. Lukashenko
Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran M. Pesezhkian
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev
Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping
President of the Kyrgyz Republic S.N. Zhaparov
Prime Minister Islamic Republic of Pakistan M.S. Sharif
President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin
President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.M. Mirziyoyev
Tianjin, 1 September 2025
… the Tianjin SCO summit is a collective demarche by Eurasia, which has united against the United States, the European Union, and their regional allies…
By Rostislav Ishchenko at Ukraine.ru.
(machine translation)
The meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization states that opened in Tianjin today is undoubtedly a diplomatic triumph for China. This was clearly intended by the main participants, including Russia and India.
And the West is to blame for this.
Let’s start with a formal note: all the participating countries are represented by their heads of state or government. The President of Russia has arrived for a four-day visit, combining his participation in the SCO summit with a state visit to China. The events related to the latter will take place in Beijing. By the way, Putin’s schedule is extremely busy, with numerous meetings with the leaders of the participating countries, which indirectly confirms the importance and significance of the summit.
In general, it should be noted that although the SCO summits are held in member countries on a rotational basis, all the turning points in the organization’s life have occurred in China. The founding meeting of the then-called “Shanghai Five” (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan) was held in Shanghai. The 2001 meeting, which led to the establishment of the SCO after the admission of Uzbekistan, also took place in China (also in Shanghai).
In addition to SCO members, observers and dialogue partners, representatives of five other Southeast Asian states (Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Laos and Vietnam) have arrived at the current summit in Tianjin (also China). I do not presume to say that they will gain any status in the SCO as a result of the meeting, although this is not excluded. For example, why don’t they become observers or dialogue partners? But the very fact of the arrival of representatives of these countries is very important.
The fact is that China’s relations with Southeast Asian countries are extremely complex. They have traditionally been wary of China’s ambitions and Beijing’s claims to dominance in the region. Vietnam and Malaysia have territorial disputes with China that are just as complex and long-lasting as the Chinese-Philippine dispute, which the United States is currently using to escalate military tensions in the region in order to increase pressure on China.
Washington has recently (as recently as August of this year) made attempts to draw Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, and India into the anti-Chinese alliances being formed by the United States in the Indo-Pacific region. The presence of the leaders of these countries in Tianjin indicates that the choice has not been made in favor of the United States. This is due to the fact that the agenda of the meeting focuses on discussing security issues, both military and economic. The main threat to the countries in the region comes from the military activities and economic policies of the United States.
It is no coincidence that I wrote that the West, primarily the United States, is to blame for China’s diplomatic triumph, which was achieved through joint efforts with India and Russia. The Russia-India-China triangle, which forms the basis of the SCO, had its own challenges. In fact, it still does. However, these challenges are being actively addressed, and the countries are actively seeking and finding mutually acceptable compromises, as they recognize the aggressive policies of the United States and the West as the primary threat to their interests.
The very beginning of the SCO – the creation of the “Shanghai Five” – was the first global format to bring Russia and China closer together strategically. The “Shanghai Five” helped to resolve relations between Moscow and Beijing in Central Asia (primarily with the buffer countries bordering both powers), as well as with the Central Asian states themselves. At the time, both Russia and the Central Asian states had serious concerns about China’s plans for military, political, and financial-economic expansion in the region.
It is unknown whether Russia and China’s relations would have reached the level of strategic cooperation (especially so quickly) if it weren’t for the West’s openly aggressive policies, which left the countries of Eurasia with no choice. The alternative to uniting the countries of the region through compromise to fight for their interests against the West was to capitulate to it and become dependent states subjected to neo-colonial exploitation. The further rapid growth of the SCO, which included even countries that had been at odds with each other for many years, was also predetermined by Western policies, which caused greater concern and rejection among the countries of the region than any old local conflicts. The region was fighting “for its borders,” while the West was fighting “for its life.”
The current meeting is taking place against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s announced shift in U.S. foreign policy towards China. Instead of presenting mutually beneficial proposals, the U.S. has come to Beijing with an arrogant demand to abandon its own interests in order to support an ineffective U.S. economic and military policy aimed solely at restoring the irrevocably lost American global hegemony, which allowed for a neo-colonial plunder of the planet.
The Americans needed the support of countries in the region, as well as global players such as Russia and India, to succeed in their anti-Chinese policy. Instead of looking for ways to bring their positions closer to Moscow and New Delhi, Washington has found nothing better than to try to put pressure on them. Russia is being persuaded to accept unfavorable peace conditions in Ukraine, although the United States needs a temporary (until victory over China and switching to Russia) stabilization in the European direction.
Economic sanctions are being imposed against India in the form of increased tariffs, trying to force it to accept US demands that are unfavorable for its economy. Moreover, the requirements not to buy Russian energy carriers (which the United States itself buys and resells to its allies at a surcharge) are secondary. Major increased tariffs on Indian exports to the United States were introduced earlier, in an attempt to force New Delhi to accept artificial restrictions on the profitability of its trade with the United States.
The United States has lost its ability to compete effectively with foreign producers. They no longer need (because it is not profitable) freedom of trade. They want to open up other countries’ markets for themselves and close their own markets to others. They are willing to achieve this goal not only through economic means, but also through military force where they cannot be defeated.
This is why the topic of military, political, and economic security in the region will be the main focus of both the summit and bilateral negotiations. This is also why Russia, India, Indonesia, and other Eurasian countries have not only agreed to the summit format as a Chinese diplomatic triumph, but have also helped to organize it.
In form, this is China’s response to the United States, its final warning in response to attempts at aggressive pressure. In fact, the Tianjin SCO summit is a collective demarche by Eurasia, which has united against the United States, the European Union, and their regional allies, to postpone or even successfully resolve existing problems and conflicts in the face of a global threat from the West.
The success of the summit in Tianjin, which means the further expansion and internal strengthening of the SCO, is guaranteed by the very fact of a united (even though this unity is beginning to crack under the weight of unsolvable problems) and extremely aggressive West.
A general expectation exists, that the SCO and BRICS will become closer in some form or another. Exactly how, given that the two organizations serve different sets of countries, arguably with different sets of needs, is the open question. We expect, based on the current SCO meeting, that a SCO bank, similar to the BRICS bank, will be established, or perhaps an existing bank will be chosen to fulfill the SCO’s requirements, as the NDB is expected to meet the BRICS’ requirements.
The following article from BRICS Analytics outlines the potential convergences between the two organizations. Lula from Brazil is requesting an extraordinary (and urgent) summit of BRICS. He states that the US tariff regime is aimed at undermining multilateralism and multipolarity. This is indeed a BRICS problem (war on BRICS), but it is also a SCO problem. What is it that we don’t understand yet in terms of a divide-and-conquer strategy? Lula has defined that BRICS countries are being picked off one by one. We cannot argue with that concept.
There are two schools of thought in terms of growth of the Global South. The first is that these organizations need to remain separate entities, forming an array of change agents, rather than a single, unified bloc that can be attacked as one. This thought downplays the strength of a strong bloc acting in concert. The second is the view outlined in this article, that the organizations are synchronous and must become much closer.
Essentially, between the BRICS and SCO, we talk about economic cooperation and an array of issues such as anti-terrorism action. Is the time now right to talk about military cooperation? The first warships are in and crossing the Panama Canal in, what we hope, is only a force projection from the US against Venezuela. I fear though that this hope is misplaced and we may be looking at yet another regime change operation, this time with the old gunboat ‘diplomacy’. Then we have the extremely violent clashes defined to be yet another regime change or similar type operation in Indonesia. Indonesia is the first Southeast Asian nation who joined the BRICS block formally in the beginning of this year. Vietnam followed.
What is clear, is that we are looking at total war on many fronts. The US cancellation of visas for the Palestinian groups to attend the September UNGA meeting, is part of this total war. Greater Israel must be established for the hegemon to own West Asia and what is referred to as the Middle East. Rubio’s Shameful and Illegal Interference With the UN. w/ Prof. Jeffrey Sachs & the Judge
We are now in the territory of a deathly war between two world orders, one falling and we’re moving into a post-West world order, and one rising with Global South power.
—
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit that is starting imminently in Taijing, China may bring a number of breakthroughs in transforming the bloc in the direction of prioritizing economic cooperation. One of the possible decisions at the summit may be the launching of an SCO development bank that would expand the array of Eurasia’s development institutions. Another important turn in SCO’s evolution this year will be the expansion in the SCO+ format that is to include representatives of regional and international organizations. These and other developments point in our view to a rising similarity in the transformation experienced by the SCO and BRICS – something that we believe will be conducive to forming a closer SCO-EAEU-BRICS partnership that has been widely discussed within the Eurasian circles in recent years.
Throughout the past several years, the SCO, like the BRICS grouping, was in expansion mode. In 2017, the SCO widened its ranks to include India and Pakistan, Iran joined the group in July 2023, and Belarus in July 2024. In the case of the SCO, as well as BRICS, apart from the expansion of core membership, there was also the creation of a partnership belt. Following the expansion of BRICS and the SCO over the past several years, both platforms are now broadly comparable in terms of the number of countries in their core and partnership belts. Both now have 10 developing economies in the core, with the partnership belt in BRICS currently consisting of 10 members (together with Vietnam, that joined the partnership belt in the summer of 2025) and several more that are yet to accept the invitation, while in the case of SCO the number of dialogue partners amounts to 14 countries.
Apart from the synchronicity in the expansion mode across the two blocs, there is also a rising convergence between the SCO and BRICS in terms of membership in the core and the partnership belt. At this stage four BRICS core members – India, Iran, China and Russia – are also members of the SCO core. The BRICS core now also includes two dialogue partners from the SCO – the UAE and Egypt (three in case Saudi Arabia becomes a full-fledged BRICS member). The newly created BRICS partnership belt also included two SCO core members from Central Asia – Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – as well as one core SCO member from Europe, namely Belarus. Also, some of the SCO core members and partner economies in recent years were granted membership in the BRICS New Development Bank – specifically Uzbekistan (core member of the SCO) and Bangladesh (applied for dialogue partner/observer in the SCO).
With SCO expanding to cover more Eurasian economies, the bloc launched an SCO+ format in 2024 that is to be further broadened in terms of its scope this year during the SCO summit in China. The Chinese authorities expect nearly 30 representatives of countries, regional blocs and international organizations to attend the SCO+ meetings during this year’s SCO+ summit. The launching of this SCO+ format is line with our calls to create an SCO+ platform for the regional arrangements in Eurasia back in 2018 and further in 2022 and 2024. This emerging SCO+ platform bears resemblance to the evolution of the BRICS+ format whose theoretical foundations we also developed in the beginning of 2017 and whose practical implementation was launched by China in the fall of 2017.
As we have noted in the past, the convergence in the modalities of operation of BRICS and the SCO blocs – as evidenced by the launching of the SCO+ format (similar to BRICS+) as well as the possibility of the creation of a SCO development bank (similar to the BRICS NDB) – is conducive to greater coordination and alignment between these two platforms going forward. It also lays the groundwork for the implementation of the stated goal of forging closer cooperation within the EAEU-SCO-BRICS triad.
This greater alignment between the three blocs may shed light on the further evolution in the integration impulses across Eurasia and the Global South. In particular, the EAEU-SCO-BRICS platform may bring on board the regional integration blocs from outside of Eurasia (such as Mercosur or AU/AfCFTA) leading thus to the creation of a broader BRICS+ platform for regional integration arrangements. Another possible implication is that BRICS institutionalization may follow in part the patterns of institutionalization within the SCO and the EAEU, including with respect to the creation of a Commission/Secretariat.
Guancha, Brazil 247 and Beijing Club unite around the exchange of ideas in the Global South
When Xi Jinping visited Brazil and Peru at the end of last year, following the opening of the Chancay port, he stated in one of his speeches that think tanks must grow and share information. Here is one such media think tank forming.
The meeting of the BRICS countries in Rio de Janeiro has delivered to the world a comprehensive statement with points of consensus on topics such as multilateralism, sustainable development, new international financial architecture, and artificial intelligence. In parallel, actors from the academic and journalistic worlds also met to discuss ways to deepen the exchange between media, universities, and think tanks, to solidify the intellectual basis necessary for the consolidation of the voices of the Global South and a world founded on cooperation between peoples.
One of these meetings took place last night in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together representatives of Brazil 247, from the Shanghai-based Guancha news website, and the Beijing Club, a major Chinese think tank. The cocktail was a consequence of the Global South Media Alliance, launched by Brazil 247 and Guancha in March this year.
This media alliance has to be extended to several other BRICS nations and partners, says Pepe Escobar. I agree.
The sheer change of thinking that is emergent, most of us have not seen. We’ve seen an exorbitant privilege kept in place by war and more war, threats, criminality and coercion, but a truly cooperative model is rare today. We’ve lived in a time when, if there was no opposition to pit groups and countries against one another, an opposition was created. I am, in a sense, skeptical about Elon Musk’s new American Party, as time will tell us whether that is a gathering of those who are disappointed with Trump and the fall of Maga, or the creation of a pretend opposition so that the circus can continue. Time will tell.
Judge Nap interviews Alastair Crooke : Why Israel is to Blame
IRGC Statement on the Eighth Wave of Operation True Promise 3
Public Relations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC):
Victory comes only from God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
Public Relations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A cargo plane from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport flies southwest over eastern Turkmenistan, descending as it approaches Iranian airspace. 15.06.2025
What happened in Aleppo on November 27, 2024, was not just a battlefield event—it was a political earthquake. The rapid fall of the city, and with it the backbone of the Assad regime’s military presence in northern Syria, sent shockwaves through the region. The speed at which the regime disintegrated raised eyebrows even among its most ardent opponents. Many knew a military operation was underway, but few understood the invisible war happening behind the frontlines.
Now, we may do.
According to an investigation published by New Lines Magazine, the collapse of the Syrian Arab Army in Aleppo was not simply the result of ground assaults or drone strikes—it was the product of a covert cyber operation. At the heart of this deception was not a rocket or a tank, but something much more insidious: a mobile application.
Launched under the guise of a humanitarian initiative, the app named STFD-686, a string of letters standing for Syria Trust for Development, appeared in the summer of 2024. It was allegedly linked to First Lady Asma al-Assad and marketed as a benevolent program to support Syrian soldiers with a monthly stipend of 400,000 Syrian pounds—roughly $40.
The offer to many soldiers living in desperate conditions was irresistible.
To claim the payment, users had to input a series of personal and seemingly harmless details—name, birthdate, and family size. But then came requests for more sensitive information: military rank, unit designation, deployment coordinates, and chain-of-command affiliations. One Syrian software expert familiar with the operation told New Lines Magazine that the app was designed to extract enough data to map the entire Syrian army structure in real-time.
It didn’t stop there.
The app required Facebook integration, granting its handlers access to social graphs, private messages, and login credentials. Once installed, the spyware “Spy Max” was activated, giving its operators unrestricted access to phone calls, files, photos, and even live feeds from the device’s camera and microphone.
In short, every phone with the app became a mobile surveillance hub—from inside the army’s own ranks.
What came next was clinical and devastating.
Julani forces—now equipped with a digital map of the Syrian military’s most critical vulnerabilities—moved with surgical precision. Remote units were isolated and starved of supplies. High-ranking officers found their orders intercepted or countermanded. Entire defensive lines in Aleppo crumbled not from lack of manpower, but from strategic sabotage.
And all the while, the soldiers on the ground had no idea that they themselves had handed over the keys.
This was not a cyber attack in the conventional sense. It was psychological warfare, executed through technology, exploiting desperation with a promise of aid.
That remains the million-dollar question.
The digital fingerprints are murky. One of the app’s backend domains was reportedly hosted on a U.S.-based server, raising obvious suspicions given Washington’s long history of backing Julani’s factions. But the evidence is far from conclusive. It may have been an intentional false flag, meant to mislead investigators and shift blame.
The more likely reality? This was a multi-actor operation, combining local opposition intelligence, regional assets, and possibly foreign cyber expertise. Israel, Turkey, Qatar—none are strangers to cyber warfare, and all had a strategic interest in weakening Damascus.
If this operation proves anything, it’s this: the battlefield is no longer just a physical space. Cyber warfare is no longer an adjunct to conventional military power—it is central to it.
Recall 2020: a Syrian soldier’s forgotten phone inside a Russian Pantsir air defense unit allowed Israel to triangulate and eliminate the system via airstrike. That was a warning.
What happened in Aleppo was the fulfillment of that warning.
The Syrian army wasn’t just outgunned—it was out-hacked. And as we move into a new phase of hybrid warfare, it is no longer enough to control the skies or the streets. You must also control the code.
And in November 2024, the code won.
—Kevork Almassian is a Syrian journalist, geopolitical analyst, and the founder of Syriana Analysis.
[Ed Note: Do read the link supplied. It is chilling. https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/how-a-spyware-app-compromised-assads-army/]
Judge Nap interviews roving nomad geopolitician Pepe Escobar on the amazing turn of fortune for the former combined West on every front and in every quadrant.
To the day of Victory over the nazi internationale!
#Victory80
Here’s a better translation of the IRGC’s response as the translator did a poor job imo:
| IRGC General: I personally do not have any official responsibility to answer this question, but for the sake of clarification, let me tell you this:
Our battle with the US and the… https://t.co/MJfjWNUu3n pic.twitter.com/yBtLuaMcDs
— Arya – آریا (@AryJeay) May 5, 2025
The guests of the @SobhFestival, including the likes of Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, and Pepe Escobar, visited the IRGC’s Aerospace Park, which is a museum and exhibition showcasing the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps’ achievements in defense and aerospace technology.@PressTV pic.twitter.com/02LOfQQuao
— Azadar Hussain (@Azadar04) May 4, 2025
@Fotros Resistance:
— Journalist Pepe Escobar asked the IRGC General responsible for the Missile exhibition why True Promise-3 did not happen as the US & Tel Aviv saw this move as weak. Why did it not happen and will it happen?
(My translation as the translator did a poor job)
| IRGC General: I personally do not have any official responsibility to answer this question, but for the sake of clarification, let me tell you this:
Our battle with the US and the Zionist regime did not just begin, and it will not end anytime soon. The tactics we choose for this prolonged confrontation are based on our own conditions, and no outside (foreign) interpretation will influence them.
We are the soldiers of our Leader. As he has said: “We will neither delay, nor rush.”
General Hajizadeh also stated that the operation will be carried out at the right time. Any other claims are just external noise.
As we’ve demonstrated up to now, we have never retreated — not from our rights, and not from our red lines. I’m not in a position to say if TP3 is ready or not, for that the responsibility lies with those in charge, namely the General Staff of the Armed Forces, who will make that call.
Whenever the time comes, they will notify us — and by “us,” I mean the Armed Forces & the Aerospace Division. |link|
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