Tehran: Iran will be a permanent member of the political and economic cooperation alliance led by Russia and China. Iran has gained permanent membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Iranian President Ibrahim Raizi signed the MoU at a summit held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Iran said that after becoming a full member of the SCO, it has entered a new phase of economic, commercial, transport and energy cooperation. The Summit of SEO Member States is in progress in Samarkand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also returned to Uzbekistan today to participate in the discussion.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was formed in 2001 by Russia and China as an alternative to US hegemony. China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were the permanent members of the organization. Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia are observer countries and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are dialogue partners.
Iran applied for permanent membership in the SCO as a way to overcome the sanctions of the western countries including the US. Ibrahim Raizi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that countries such as Iran and Russia, which have been embargoed by the US, can overcome many problems and become stronger by standing together.