Iran to formalize its entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at the next summit

June 30 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, announced this Friday that Iran will formalize its entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on July 4 during the next summit of the organization, of which Moscow is a part.

“At the July 4 meeting of the Council of Heads of State, Iran’s full membership will be formalized and a memorandum of commitment will be signed by Belarus, which will also initiate the procedure for its full admission to the organization,” he said.

The Russian Foreign Minister has specified that the organization, with the new announced accessions of Iran and Belarus, extends “from Europe and the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia”, according to the TASS news agency.

The Iranian Parliament approved in November 2022 by a majority a bill on accession to the body, founded in 2001 and which includes the world’s largest oil-producing nations, including China.

In September of that year, the process for the admission of Belarus as a full member of the SCO began, which has Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer countries, while Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka have the status of partner countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has shown interest in joining the body after attending a summit where member countries praised Turkey’s “mediating” role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a guest.