Former Head of Iran’s National Security Council Seyed Hossein Mousavian said Iran's potential membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) would bring Tehran closer to its neighbors in Asia.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) would benefit its economic relations with partners throughout Asia, former Head of Iran’s National Security Council Seyed Hossein Mousavian said on Wednesday.

“This would help bring more impact on Iran’s economic relations with Asia,” Mousavian said about Tehran’s possible SCO membership in a conference at National Council on US-Arab Relations.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised the possibility of Iran’s full accession into the SCO if the ongoing P5+1 nuclear negotiations result in a successful deal with Iran.Mousavian explained that Iran is “already participating in our Shanghai high-level meetings.”

If the members of the organization accept Tehran, “it will create more opportunities for Asian cooperation,” the former Iranian government official emphasized.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that the perspective for Iran joining the SCO if a nuclear agreement is reached were “good.”

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and military alliance founded in 2001, currently comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran currently has observer status in the organization.


By Sputnik News