Shura Council approves Iran joining SCO as member

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The Iranian Shura Council has voted on Sunday to pass a law that would allow Iran to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). 

According to Tasnim news agency, in a public council meeting, Parliament was able to reach an agreement on the general strategy and guidelines for Iran to join the SCO.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian signed a memorandum allowing the Islamic Republic of Iran to join during the SCO summit held on the 15th and 16th of September. 

Back then, Amir-Abdollahian, who accompanied Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to the SCO summit in Uzbekistan, announced via a tweet, that Iran had signed a memorandum of arrangements and commitments.

Amir-Abdollahian also stated that from here on out, Iran entered a new phase of economic, trade, transportation and energy cooperation. In light of that, the Secretary-General of the SCO, Zhang Ming, assured that Iran's membership will contribute to boost both its role and the SCO.

Iran began as an observer state in 2005 until it applied for membership in 2021.

Established in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an economic, political, and security alliance comprising China, India, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. SCO Observer countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia, with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka holding a dialogue partner status.

The SCO summit in Dushanbe last September began the procedure of Iran's accession, as well as granting SCO partner status to Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.