Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister meets SCO Secretary-General in Tehran

Zhang Ming, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), who is visiting Iran, held a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mahdi Safari, for talks on the prospect of economic cooperation between Tehran and the Organization.
During the meeting, Safari highlighted the importance of multilateralism in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy, and said economic cooperation has a central role in the policy of multilateralism.
He added that the imminent accession of Iran to the Organization is a move in the same direction.
He went on to say Iran's full accession will meet countless benefits of the two sides.
“Half of the Organization’s member states are landlocked and the other half, including Iran, are on the transit path. Therefore, Iran is ready to play a pivotal role in the transportation cooperation arrangements of the SCO,” Safari said.
The official added that the largest energy consuming economies and the largest holders of energy reserves are present in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, suggesting that dialog and participation of energy producers and exporters be planned with the aim of ensuring energy security.
Safari also pointed to the great capacities of the member countries for electricity exchanges and trade, emphasizing Iran’s readiness to cooperate in this area.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has a high capacity in knowledge-based industries and we are ready to cooperate in the relevant fields and especially to promote technology and knowledge-based houses at the level of SCO member states,” he added.
For his part, the SCO Secretary-General said transit, energy and technology are among the areas of common interest for member states, and that Iran’s entry into the Organization will definitely deepen and expand bilateral cooperation.
Iran is on the verge of fully joining the organization, and the Iranian authorities have a correct understanding of the current cooperation situation there, he said, adding that the proposed ideas are in harmony with the views of the Organization.