Turkish president departs for Kyrgyzstan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan departed on Monday for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit.

The special aircraft carrying the president, his wife Emine Erdogan, and the accompanying delegation took off from Ankara Airport at 9 am (0600GMT).

Erdogan was seen off at Ankara Airport by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Presidential Secretary-General Hakki Susmaz, Ankara Governor Yakup Canbolat, and other officials.

Iranian president arrives in Kyrgyzstan for SCO summit, meets Indian PM Modi on sidelines

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek on Monday for a two-day visit to attend the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday, ANI news agency reported, the first meeting between the two leaders in two years.

Pezeshkian was accompanied by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iran's state-run news agency IRNA reported.

During the visit, Pezeshkian will hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the summit, the outlet reported.

Discussions will also be held with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

On the second day of his trip, Pezeshkian will deliver a speech at the SCO summit of the heads of state, it added.