Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at a meeting with Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Secretary General Zhang Ming ‘noted Iran’s determination’ to join the organization, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.
"[Iranian Foreign Minister] Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday during a meeting with [SCO Secretary General] Zhang Ming and his delegation noted Iran’s determination and seriousness [on the issue of] participation and an active role in the SCO," the ministry pointed out in a statement published on its Telegram channel.
"We believe that the organization (SCO - TASS) can play an important role in new international security and economic mechanisms, and the development of economic cooperation will contribute to sustainable security," the Iranian top diplomat noted.
At last year’s SCO summit in Samarkand on September 15 to 16, SCO leaders signed a memorandum on the obligations of the Iranian side in connection with its accession to the organization. Also during the summit the process of registration of Belarus’ membership in the organization began.
In addition, it was decided in Samarkand to start the procedure of granting the status of dialogue partners to Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and the United Arab Emirates.