Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that Iran's accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) would be mutually beneficial, both to Iran and to all members of the organization, and would also expedite the SCO's status as a key regional player and strengthen the process of regionalism. 

"Iran's membership in the SCO meets the interests of both sides — those of Iran and of the organization and its members… This positive development can boost the SCO’s value as an important regional organization. This change will meet the interests of all member countries and strengthen the process of regionalism," Kanaani was quoted as saying by the Iranian news agency Fars.  

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A meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of State is scheduled to be held tomorrow, on July 4. It will be chaired in India and will be taking place via videoconference. As part of the summit's key outcomes, Iran's ascension to the SCO is expected to take place. 

On the agenda, SCO members will be discussing the results of overall activities and the progress that has been achieved over the past year. Other plans will be discussed as part of the organization's development as a regional player and for the mutual development of its members. Views on international and regional issues will also be exchanged. 

Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which has its headquarters in China, is a diplomatic organization with eight members, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were included as additional members in 2017.

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