- Iran has signed a Memorandum of Obligations.
- They want to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
- Hossein Amirabdollahian stated on social media.
According to the Iranian Foreign Minister, Iran has signed a Memorandum of Obligations to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a permanent member.
Hossein Amirabdollahian stated on social media that Iran had “reached a new stage of different economic, commercial, transit, and energy cooperation” by signing the paperwork for full membership in the SCO.
Leaders from China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were on their way to Samarkand, the capital of Uzbekistan, for a summit of the eight-nation SCO, a security alliance established by Beijing and Moscow as a counterbalance to American power.
Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia are observer nations, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey are the organization’s six “conversation partners.”
Iran’s bid for membership in the fast growing SCO was approved last year, and the government in Tehran asked members to join it in creating a mechanism to avoid Western sanctions over its contentious nuclear program.
Resul Serdar of Al Jazeera reported from Samarkand, a Silk Road oasis, and stated that Iran’s complete membership is anticipated to take effect in April 2023.
He continued by saying that the SCO, the largest regional organization in the world with 40% of the world’s population and 30% of the global gross domestic product (GDP), aspires to grow even more.
Belarus will also formally sign the papers establishing its membership, according to Serdar. “It is also anticipated that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will join the talks as new partners.”
Iranian media said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to see Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was also present at the Samarkand conference.
Iran’s economy has suffered significantly since US President Donald Trump unilaterally ended the historic nuclear agreement that had been reached between Iran and other world powers, including Russia and China, in 2018.
The Iranian government agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of sanctions under the terms of the nuclear agreement, but months of indirect negotiations between Iran and the US administration of US President Joe Biden have stalled over a number of issues.
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