Addressing the 26th summit of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, held in Bishkek, Pezeshkian outlined the region’s major security and economic challenges and stressed the need for stronger cooperation among member states to consolidate stability and shape a common future.
The Iranian president called for enhanced security and economic cooperation within the SCO, saying that confidence-building, respect for countries’ sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs and cooperation among governments are essential to achieving sustainable security, based on the organization’s experience of more than two decades of activity.
Pezeshkian cited terrorism, violent extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and cybercrime among the threats facing the region. He also pointed to intensifying geopolitical rivalries, unilateralist policies and the use of force and military power as other factors causing concern for regional countries and emerging economies.
Referring to recent developments in West Asia and the US and Israeli attacks against Iran, the president described the actions as aggression against the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
He also outlined the course of the war of aggression against Iran and subsequent developments and reiterated Iran’s position regarding the commitments stipulated in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
Pezeshkian further described security and development as interconnected and inseparable concepts, stressing the need for the SCO to address both security and economic dimensions simultaneously.
He identified the development of intra-organizational trade, facilitation of customs procedures, expansion of transportation corridors, connecting ports and logistics centers, increasing transit capacity and strengthening the resilience of supply chains as key areas of economic cooperation among member states.
The Iranian president then put forward three initiatives in the economic sphere.
First, he proposed deepening financial and banking cooperation and establishing an “SCO Bank.”
Second, he proposed the establishment of an export insurance and investment union.
Third, he called for the formation of an “SCO Energy Consortium” to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector.
In the security sphere, Pezeshkian also proposed establishing a strategic security studies center within the SCO to identify emerging threats and help strengthen regional stability.
Emphasizing the importance of dialogue and the creation of effective mechanisms for cooperation, Pezeshkian announced Iran’s readiness to play a constructive and active role in processes aimed at advancing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and to support new initiatives designed to strengthen the organization’s cohesion, efficiency and convergence.