Putin, Khamenei, and Raisi (Photo: Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran)
To reduce its international isolation, Iran is preparing to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional alliance that includes China and Russia among its members. head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey LavrovHe confirmed this information on June 30, specifying that Iran’s full membership will be formalized at the next meeting of the Committee of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on July 4. Iran seeks, by turning to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to strengthen its relations with China and Russia and ease tensions with Western countries.
Iran and Russia have a longstanding relationship when it comes to weapons. This link was reinforced by the signing of an agreement for international trade linkage between the two countries, which indicates their desire for cooperation. Thus, Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization represents an additional step in strengthening strategic and economic relations with Russia.
However, this alliance comes in the context of strained relations between Iran and the United States. Despite Iran’s efforts to ease these tensions, the country is still threatened by US sanctions that have affected its economy. Therefore, an alliance with Russia and China may be an alternative for Iran to overcome the economic challenges it faces.
Iran also plans to join other international organizations without Western members, including the BRICS nations, which includes South Africa, Brazil, China, India and Russia.. These movements are part of a comprehensive Iranian strategy aimed at strengthening its international relations and countering the effects of Western sanctions. In short, Iran’s formal membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization represents a strategic turning point in its foreign policy, with potentially major implications for the global geopolitical balance.
