Upon the invitation of the Russia, the fourth quadripartite Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia on Afghanistan was held on September 25, 2025 on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
During the meeting, the four sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan and agreed on the some points giving in a joint statement released on Saturday.
“The four sides pointed out that NATO members should bear the primary responsibility for the current plight in Afghanistan. They should create opportunities for Afghanistan’s economic recovery and future development and prosperity, immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan, and return Afghanistan’s overseas assets for the benefit of the Afghan people,” the statement read.
At present, NATO has 32 member countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Türkiye, Canada, Spain, and others.
According to the joint statement, the four sides supported effective regional initiatives aimed at uplifting Afghanistan’s economy and emphasised the importance of continued economic engagement with Afghanistan to alleviate the dire situation of the Afghan people.
They expressed willingness to expand economic and trade cooperation and regional connectivity with Afghanistan that “will contribute to the active integration of Afghanistan into the regional economic cooperation”.
The four countries also recognised the importance of appropriate adjustment of the 1988 sanction regime in accordance with the realities on the ground in order to contribute to peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“They emphasised the need to avoid politicisation and double standards, in particular on travel ban exemptions requests for designated Taliban individuals that remains crucial for promoting comprehensive approach on Afghanistan.”
The four countries also expressed deep concern over the security situation related to terrorism in Afghanistan noting that terrorist groups such as ISIL, Al-Qaida, the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jaish ul-Adl, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and other similar groups in the region including Majeed Brigade, as well as others, based in Afghanistan, “continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security”.
They emphasised that strengthening peace and stability in Afghanistan and countering the threats of terrorism, radicalism, and drug crime emanating from its territory were in line with their common interests in the region.
The four sides urged the Afghan authorities to take “effective, concrete and verifiable actions” in fulfilling the international obligations and commitments made by Afghanistan to fight terrorism, and dismantle, and eliminate all terrorist groups, and to prevent recruitment, fundraising and their access to weapons, as well as their collaboration with foreign terrorist fighters.
They further urged the Afghan authorities to dismantle any terrorist training camps or any other terrorist infrastructure on their soil.