China, Russia, India and Iran Sign Declaration Slamming US “Hegemonic Practices” and Sanctions

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation closed a two-day summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on September 1, 2026, signing a joint “Bishkek Declaration” that condemned Western economic sanctions on member states and denounced recent military strikes on Iran as violations of international law, without naming the United States or Israel directly [1, 2]. The declaration, signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian among other leaders, reiterated the bloc’s opposition to “all forms of hegemonic practices in world politics” and to unilateral coercive economic measures, and called a “comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question” the only path to Middle East stability [1, 2]. Russian state media noted the statement notably omitted direct condemnation of the war in Ukraine [3]. The summit unfolded the same day Washington launched fresh military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, and against a backdrop of new US tariffs on Chinese and Indian goods and tightened sanctions on Iran [4].

Why It Sucks:

American Conservatives

• Adversaries are visibly consolidating. Conservatives see the declaration as proof that Beijing, Moscow and Tehran are formalizing an anti-American bloc, arguing it justifies doubling down on tariffs and sanctions rather than easing them [1, 4].
• An alliance short on real leverage. Skeptics dismiss the bloc as a coalition of convenience among economically strained states with little capacity to actually counter US economic pressure [2, 3].
• A warning sign on China’s reach. The summit’s optics of Xi hosting Modi and Putin together are cited as evidence for accelerating decoupling and reshoring before Beijing’s regional influence grows further [1, 4].

American Progressives

• Tariff wars are pushing India away. Progressives argue that aggressive US tariffs on Indian goods are helping drive New Delhi toward the same table as Beijing and Moscow, undermining a democracy Washington needs as a strategic partner [1, 4].
• Silence on Ukraine exposes a fractured coalition. The declaration’s omission of any condemnation of Russia’s invasion is read as proof that India’s balancing act is eroding a unified democratic front against Russian aggression [3].
• Sanctions-first Iran policy is backfiring. Critics on the left argue that leading with strikes and sanctions rather than diplomacy toward Tehran is precisely what’s fueling the anti-US coalition-building on display in Bishkek [1, 2].

SCO Member States

• Framing sanctions as an attack on sovereignty. Member governments cast Western sanctions as unilateral coercion that punishes their citizens’ economies and violates their right to development [1, 2].
• Iran strikes as vindication. The bloc points to the strikes near the Strait of Hormuz occurring the same day as the summit as confirmation of the very military overreach the declaration warns against [2, 4].
• Building a hedge against US-led pressure. By signing onto the declaration, member states signal they’re actively pursuing alternative trade and security arrangements outside the US-led order rather than waiting out the current sanctions regime [1, 3].

Sources & Citations:

[1] Al Jazeera: SCO slams attacks, sanctions on Iran – Key takeaways from Bishkek summit
[2] Foreign Policy: Russia Attends G-20 Finance Ministerial, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit
[3] TASS: SCO declaration omits Ukraine conflict, addresses nuclear disarmament
[4] NBC News: U.S. has launched ‘large and powerful’ strikes on Iran, Trump says