ISLAMABAD: The Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO RATS) met in Islamabad on Monday to discuss regional tensions between the United States (US) and Iran, Pakistan’s foreign office said, adding that the regional alliance backed efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two nations.

The 46th meeting of SCO RATS was held in Islamabad under Pakistan’s chair, who was appointed to head the council in September 2025. The SCO comprises 10 member states including Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Iran and Central Asian states, and aims to foster economic and defense cooperation among them.

The Islamabad meeting was attended by delegations from Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and representatives of the executive committee of SCO RATS.

“The SCO RATS Council condemned the new military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran and reaffirmed the SCO’s previously expressed position on this issue,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement issued after the meeting.

The council expressed condolences over the killing of Iran’s supreme leader and reaffirmed its position on preserving Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

“[The Council] supported efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions, establishing peace and ensuring stability in the region,” Pakistan’s foreign office said.

SCO RATS also agreed to conduct a joint information operation in 2027 in the field of countering terrorism, a practical seminar for the use of the Internet for” terrorist,” separatist and extremist purposes, and a joint counter-terrorism exercise of SCO member states.

The chairmanship of the SCO RATS Council passed from Pakistan to Russia at the meeting, the foreign office said.

The US and Iran have been attacking each other in the Middle East for over six months now. The conflict began when the US carried out joint airstrikes against Iran with Israel, prompting Tehran to retaliate.

The war has caused global disruption in fuel supplies and raised the prices of oil worldwide. Pakistan has actively been involved in diplomatic efforts with regional players to ensure long-term peace in the region.