Speaking at a meeting with SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Caspian Sea environmental summit, held in Turkmenistan on Friday, Pezeshkian said the purpose of multilateral organizations such as the SCO and BRICS is to establish common frameworks for financial, economic, trade, security and political cooperation among member states.
“If the domestic policies of a country like the US are allowed to influence the decisions of these summits, these organizations will lose their power and cohesion,” he warned, noting that some SCO decisions concerning Iran are still shaped by consideration of Washington’s position.
Pezeshkian stressed that multilateralism must prevail over unilateral approaches and policies based on force and colonialism. He questioned why countries should not expand ties with their neighbors independently of the policies pursued by a distant power, calling for stronger regional cooperation and greater independence in collective decision-making.
The president also emphasized the need to translate agreements into action, saying that dialogue and summit declarations must produce tangible results. He urged the SCO secretary general to ensure that leaders’ decisions are implemented, adding that shared understanding and coordinated action are essential to achieving the organization’s goals.
Pezeshkian called for dialogue rather than coercion to resolve disputes and urged countries to cooperate in preventing the US from bullying other nations. He said humanity should work toward a world in which all people can live in prosperity, security and good health, without countries coveting or plundering the resources of others. Iran, he added, remains firmly committed to its principles.
For his part, Yermekbayev agreed that multilateralism should be upheld and said the SCO provides a platform for turning the statements of heads of state and government into practical action. He cited the organization’s 25-year record of implementing commitments made by member-state leaders, while noting that proposals need concrete frameworks to be executable.
The SCO chief said countries should appoint coordinators to follow up on proposals and ensure their implementation, adding that decisions require consensus among members. He also acknowledged that some member states prioritize bilateral relations over cooperation with the organization as a whole, which can leave certain decisions inconsistent with the SCO’s broader policies.
Yermekbayev proposed compiling a list of agreements reached with Iran that have yet to be implemented so they could be pursued through ambassadors and representatives. He reaffirmed the SCO’s commitment to peace, respect for territorial integrity and non-use of force, and said all countries have the right to peaceful nuclear energy while adhering to nuclear non-proliferation principles.