CSTO & SCO Hold Joint Security Meeting In Pakistan

Speaking on Tuesday at a regional conference of research centres from Afghanistan, Central Asia and Azerbaijan hosted by the Taliban Foreign Ministry in Kabul, Muttaqi said Iran and the United States had reached an agreement after lengthy negotiations.

He added that it would have been “much better” if the deal had been reached before the outbreak of conflict.

Muttaqi stressed that wars, violence and disputes between countries in the region and beyond should be resolved through dialogue, diplomatic meetings and mutual understanding rather than military confrontation.

He said war leads to the destruction of cities, human casualties and growing mistrust among nations, arguing that negotiations and dialogue should replace conflict and tension.

The agreement is reportedly due to be signed in Geneva on Friday.

According to reports, under the deal Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States will lift restrictions imposed on Iranian ports and the movement of Iranian vessels.

He said the agreement would benefit both sides, the region and the wider world.

In a message posted on X, Karzai also expressed appreciation for the diplomatic efforts of Pakistan, Qatar and other regional countries that helped facilitate the understanding.

The former Afghan president stressed the vital importance of peace and stability in the region and around the world and emphasised the responsibility of governments to preserve them.

Expressing optimism about the process, Karzai said he hoped the efforts would continue until a final outcome is reached and international peace and security are secured.

Last night, US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement between the United States and Iran had been finalised.

Iranian officials have also said the agreement is expected to be formally signed by both sides on Friday.

Dujarric said the United Nations secretary-general had stressed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is unacceptable and called for those responsible for the attack to be identified and brought to justice.

He also reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan.

Early on Sunday morning, a suicide bombing involving a vehicle packed with explosives targeted a train carrying soldiers in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 50 others.

The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to Al Jazeera, several homes and buildings near the railway line were heavily damaged.

Images shared on social media showed burnt-out vehicles and train carriages overturned on their sides, with thick black smoke rising into the sky.

Pakistani media reported that at least three border police officers were among the dead, although most victims were civilians, including passers-by, passengers and residents living near the blast site.

Following the attack, a state of emergency was declared at all major public hospitals in Quetta, and doctors and medical staff were urgently called back to work.

Sarfraz Bugti, Pakistan’s Chief Minister of Balochistan province, condemned the bombing in a post on X, writing: “The terrorists of Fitna Al-Hindustan are proving their savagery by targeting innocent civilians, women, and children.”

The Taliban administration in Afghanistan also condemned the attack.

The vote has been placed on the agenda by Bahrain, the council’s rotating president.

The meeting had been scheduled for last week but was postponed.

The draft resolution has been revised since its initial submission. The earlier version stated that member states would be allowed to use all necessary and appropriate defensive means to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the updated version, that language has been removed and replaced with wording that the council strongly encourages coordinated, defensive and proportionate efforts to help ensure maritime security.

The organisation said the sharp rise in militant activity is partly a consequence of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

The report states that Islamic State remains the world’s deadliest terrorist group, although its geographic reach has shrunk from 22 countries to 15. It also identifies Jama'at Nusrat ul-Islam wal-Muslimin, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and al-Shabaab as among the most dangerous groups.

According to the report, nearly 70% of terrorism-related deaths occurred in just five countries: Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Institute for Economics and Peace said: “For the first time, Pakistan recorded the highest score on the Index and is the country most impacted by terrorism.” It added that the surge in attacks is partly linked to the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan.

The report also highlights that Pakistan’s strained relations with its neighbours, along with increased attacks by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army, have created serious security challenges.

It added that terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan have reached their highest level since 2013. In 2025, the country recorded 1,139 deaths and 1,045 terrorist incidents.

This marks Pakistan’s deadliest year since 2013. According to the report, Pakistan is the only country where conditions worsened in 2025, with most attacks occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

For the first time since the index was introduced, Afghanistan is not among the 10 countries most affected by terrorism.

However, the report stresses that the decline in terrorist attacks in Afghanistan does not necessarily mean peace or an end to violence. It notes that the index does not account for state repression or violence by state actors, meaning actions by the Taliban administration are not included in the assessment.

The rise in terrorist attacks in Pakistan has also strained its relations with the Taliban. Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that insecurity in their country originates from Afghan territory, accusing the Taliban of supporting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch separatists.

In recent months, deadly clashes have taken place between the two sides. The Taliban, however, deny supporting armed groups opposed to Pakistan.