Iran's First Vice President Aref to Attend SCO Prime Ministers' Meeting in Tajikistan

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref stated on Monday that economic cooperation and artificial intelligence are among Iran's priorities within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He made the remarks before departing for Tajikistan to attend the meeting of SCO prime ministers.

Aref outlined the scope of the organization, noting that the SCO was established in 2001 with the participation of five or six countries and now has ten official members, all significant countries within the region and Iran's civilizational sphere. He listed the members as China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, and Iran. He added that the member states span approximately 36 million square kilometers, nearly one-quarter of the world's landmass, and account for a significant portion of the global population.

Regarding Iran's accession process, Aref emphasized that the Islamic Republic has actively participated in the organization's working groups, commissions, and committees and has achieved valuable outcomes due to extensive commonalities with member states. He explained that the SCO prime ministers' meeting is held annually to evaluate the performance of member states and explore ways to expand cooperation. This year's summit focuses on the effectiveness of trade and economic collaboration as well as humanitarian initiatives, with outcomes to be announced in several documents and a declaration.

According to Mehr News, Aref's participation underscores Iran's commitment to multilateral engagement within the SCO framework.