Last steps to finalize Iran SCO membership to be held in New Delhi

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Jun 2023 21:07

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the BRICS+ meeting in the South African capital Cape Town.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian at a meeting with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the BRICS+ meeting in the South African capital Cape Town on Friday (IRNA)

The last steps to finalize Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will take place in an upcoming meeting of the Organization in New Delhi, India, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said, as quoted by IRNA.

On Friday, the Iranian diplomat met with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the BRICS+ meeting in the South African capital Cape Town.

During the meeting, Jaishankar assured Amirabdollahian that Iran's membership will be finalized in the upcoming summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State on July 4.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an economic, political, and security alliance comprising China, Iran, India, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. SCO Observer countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia, with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka holding a dialogue partner status.

On September 16, 2022, the Uzbekistan-held 22nd SCO summit announced Iran's full accession to the organization's membership, but some steps however remained to finalize the country's full membership.

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev officially recognized Tehran as a permanent member of the SCO, which was praised and applauded by the organization's member states and attendees.