SCO Can Help Iran Nullify Sanctions: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian lawmaker said the country should take advantage of the potential of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to neutralize the sanctions and boost its exports.
In an interview with Tasnim, deputy head of the Iranian Parliament’s development commission highlighted the perfect opportunity that membership in the SCO would give Iran.
Kamal Alipoor stressed the need to step up economic diplomacy in relation to Iran’s membership in the SCO and hold a conference to pave the way for the SCO member states to invest in the country.
Iran can use the potential of membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to nullify the sanctions, raise finance for various projects, and boost the export of services, he added.
Iran is currently an observer state in the SCO, which includes eight members, four observer states and six dialogue partners.
During the organization's 21st summit in Dushanbe in September 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled plans to accept Iran as a full member of the Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance.
Iran has broadened its cooperation with the SCO members in recent months and is going to host the first edition of the international conference and exhibition of economic cooperation opportunities available to member states, supervisors and dialogue partners of the SCO and Iran's neighbors, known as “SCOCOEX”, in October 2022.
The exhibition will be held at the International Conference Center of Iran in Tehran with 26 SCO member states in attendance, under the auspices of Iran’s Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Industry, and the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran.
Iran SCOCOEX is expected to see the participation of 250 companies from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization members.
The event is going to host key roles and decision makers representing the industrial and commercial sectors, businesses and professionals involved in improving and developing economic prosperity and trade among the SCO member states, according to the SCOCOEX organizers.
The event provides an opportunity for economic cooperation among Iran and the SCO members in various fields such as industry, mining sector, trade, agriculture, artificial intelligence, knowledge-based activities, ICT, as well as oil, gas, petrochemical and energy services.
The proposed themes of Iran SCOCOEX will be “prosperous future for the development of cooperation among SCO states”, “joint cooperation and investment in the development of oil and energy projects”, “challenges and strategies for developing joint economic cooperation”, as well as “technological and industrial cooperation in various fields such as food industry, medicine, automobile, steel, knowledge-based companies, artificial intelligence, and IT”.
The formation of a free trade zone with the SCO member countries as well as Iran's neighbors and the establishment of the International Trade Development Organization among those countries are among the other purposes Iran tries to achieve.
