Amir Abdollahian: Iran’s membership in Shanghai is an important step in pursuing a comprehensive foreign policy

According to the correspondent of Fars News Agency’s foreign policy group, the Islamic Republic of Iran officially became a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization today (Tuesday), July 13, at the 23rd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was held virtually and was chaired by India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Iran on permanent membership in this organization.

In the opening speech of the meeting, the Prime Minister of India mentioned Iran as a new member of the Shanghai Organization and congratulated Iran. The Prime Minister of India further added: I wish the best for the people of Iran and Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, because Iran is officially accepted as an official member of the Shanghai Organization.

In this connection, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Amirabdollahian, stated that the active diplomacy of the 13th government registered a new achievement for the great nation of Iran, and noted that the full membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important step in pursuing an inclusive foreign policy. Strengthening the neighborhood policy and looking towards Asia.

The head of the diplomatic service wrote in a series of tweets: As the ninth member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, we strive to promote cooperation, realize the goals and enjoy its full benefits.

According to Fars, China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are the eight main members of this organization, and with Iran joining this organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization currently has nine main members.

Amir Abdollahian pointed out: Multilateralism is the basic strategy of the leading countries in the development of foreign relations and international cooperation. The joint effort of the government and the parliament in approving the various documents of Shanghai is a cause of gratitude.

In 2005 and four years after the official establishment of this organization, the Islamic Republic of Iran became an observer member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization along with India and Pakistan, and a year later (2006 AD) it submitted a request for permanent membership in this organization. India and Pakistan became permanent members of this organization in the summer of 2016. Iran’s permanent membership in the 21st summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on 26 September 1400 with the presence of Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, was accepted by the members of this organization and the memorandum of commitments of Iran’s permanent membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was also held on 23 September 1401 by Hossein Amirabdollahian. It was signed at the Shanghai Summit in Samarkand.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Council, on 12 February 1401, in a letter to the President, notified the law of the accession of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. On the 6th of Azar, the representatives of the Islamic Council agreed with the generalities and details of the plan for the accession of Iran to the Shanghai Organization. Hadi Tahan Nazif, the spokesman of the Guardian Council, also announced on the 8th of Bahman that the amendments to the above plan had been approved by the Guardian Council.

In an interview on June 11, Hossein Amirabdollahian noted: We pursued our membership in regional alliances including Shanghai, BRICS, and the Eurasian Economic Union, and our membership in Shanghai will be finalized in July. The last resolution of the parliament of the main countries that make up Shanghai was related to Kyrgyzstan, which was approved last week in the parliament of this country, and in July, with the presence of Mr. Raisi, we have the announcement of Iran’s permanent membership in Shanghai.

According to Fars report, Zhang Ming, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, announced in a telephone conversation with Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday, July 9, that the Islamic Republic of Iran will enjoy all the rights of the member countries of the organization from July 4 (July 13). Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, also said on Friday, July 9, during a speech at the People’s Diplomacy Center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow, that at the upcoming meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on July 4th, Iran and Belarus will officially become permanent members of this organization.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 1996 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with the aim of establishing a balance of power against the influence of the United States and NATO under the name of Shanghai Five, and after Uzbekistan joined it, it was called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This organization was officially established on June 15, 2001 and its headquarters was established in China. The official languages ​​of this organization are Russian and Chinese.

On Monday, July 12, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanani, stated in the weekly meeting with reporters about Iran’s official membership in Shanghai: It is the last step in the process of Iran’s full, official and full-fledged membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a mutual benefit for both Iran and Shanghai and its members. This positive development can increase the added value associated with the Shanghai Organization as an important regional organization. This development will be in line with the interests of all member countries and strengthen the process of regionalism.

President Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raeesi said during his speech at today’s meeting: “Besides militarism, what has become the bedrock of the western domination system is the domination of the dollar, and therefore any effort to form a fair international system requires the removal of the dollar.” (read here)

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