Iran joins SCO summit in Pakistan

An Iranian delegation headed by Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Atabak is taking part in the 23rd summit of the heads of the government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries has kicked off in the Pakistani capital.

News ID: 5266

Date: 16 October 2024 - 12:35

TABNAK, Oct, 16: Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addressed the opening ceremony of the summit where the representatives of the member states were present.

Upon his arrival in Islamabad, Atabak was welcomed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

The participating countries in the 23rd SCO meeting are scheduled to sign a joint document after the summit.

The Iranian trade minister is to hold a meeting with the host country’s commerce minister on the sidelines of the summit.

The 23rd meeting of the Heads of Government of the Member States of SCO is being held on October 15 to 16 in Islamabad.

Speaking at the summit, Atabak called on the SCO members to be serious in countering Israeli crimes and the US’s economic terrorism.

During his speech, the Iranian minister said that holding such meetings is of paramount importance as the international system is now facing some challenges including the preservation of peace, stability and security.

The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran focuses on the preservation of regional security and the fight against Takfiri terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and organized crimes, the minister said.

The Israeli regime’s aggression against an SCO member, Iran, is a clear violation of international peace and security, he added.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, better known as the SCO, is an intergovernmental organization founded in 2001. It is the largest regional organization in the world, mainly because of two factors- geographical area covered and population. Its member countries occupy almost 60% of Europe and Asia and cover 40% of the world’s population.

The SCO aims to promote regional cooperation on issues such as security, economy, trade, and cultural exchanges among its member states. As of July 2023, there are 9 full members of the SCO- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, and Iran. Iran is the newest nation to enjoy the privilege of being a permanent/full time member of the organization.