Iran's full-fledged membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional grouping led by China and Russia, will be formally approved next week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
"At the meeting of heads of state on July 4, the full membership of Iran will be approved," Lavrov said on June 30 at the opening of an SCO center in Moscow.
The announcement comes as the Islamic Republic has intensified its diplomacy with friends and foes alike in recent months, seeking to reduce its isolation, improve its economy and project strength.
The SCO is a political, economic, security and defense organization headquartered in Beijing. Besides China and Russia, the group also comprises India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Iran gained the status of an acceding member of the grouping in 2021, while Belarus got the status last year.
Mongolia and Afghanistan have received observer status, but the future of that country’s membership in the SCO remains uncertain as no country has officially recognized the Taliban-led government.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is also hoping to be quickly accepted into the BRICS, another grouping that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
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