Tehran: Iran is about to advance from its current status as an observer of the Eurasian security and economic development bloc to that of the ninth full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The process will be completed on Tuesday after the accession was approved on Tuesday during a virtual summit of SCO leaders hosted by India, which currently holds the rotating presidency.
Since 2005, Iran has attended summits and has applied for full membership in 2021. A draught law on joining the alliance was approved by Tehran's parliament in November of last year.
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"Our community's power and influence are only getting stronger. Other countries and international organisations are becoming more interested in its activity, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the meeting. "They trust us, and they want our friendship and cooperation."
Putin praised Iran for making quick strides towards full SCO membership. The forum's current objective is to "help our colleagues integrate into the multifaceted work" carried out by it, he continued.
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The Shanghai Five, which later became the SCO, originally consisted of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The name was changed after Uzbekistan's accession in 2001, and India and Pakistan joined during the most recent round of enlargement in 2017.
A memorandum on accession must be signed by Belarus on Tuesday in order for Belarus to join the SCO as a full member. During a summit in Uzbekistan last year, Minsk submitted an application for the process.
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In addition to Belarus, Afghanistan and Mongolia currently have observer status, and the SCO considers more than a dozen countries to be dialogue partners.