The Iranian president has described the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit as “historic” and an opportunity to promote multilateralism and expand economic and cultural cooperation.

According to a statement published on the website of his office, Masoud Pezeshkian made the remarks before departing the Iranian capital, Tehran, for China to attend the summit in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.

Mr Pezeshkian said the SCO provided a unique platform for the expansion of regional and international cooperation.

He emphasised that Iran’s participation reflected its commitment to strengthening multilateralism in the face of unilateralism and totalitarianism pursued by certain Western blocs.

He said he would meet with leaders and senior officials from the SCO member states during the visit while expressing hope that their talks would contribute to peace and security in the region and the rest of the world.

The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with India and Pakistan admitted as full members in 2017 and Iran in 2023.

Belarus became the latest full member in 2024. 

(Xinhua/NAN)