28 September 2021, NIICE Commentary 7385
Behzad Abdollahpour
Recently Iran was officially admitted as a full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization which is a regional and intra-state organization, established by leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It was established in 2001 with the aim to ensure security and maintain stability across the Eurasian region. After the acceptance of Iran as a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during its annual conference in Dushanbe, the development was received warmly by Iranian authorities and elites.
Upon his arrival after the summit in Tajikistan, Ebrahim Raisi said that this development was both a “strategic movement” and a “diplomatic success”. He further mentioned that Iran’s membership in the SCO would be to the benefit of Iranian economy. Similarly, Mohsen Rezaei, former Secretary of Expediency Council and Vice President of Iran for Economic Affairs mentioned in a tweet that “Permanent membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a good opportunity to take an important step in turning the country into an economic corridor between East and West and South and North Eurasia, as well as to shape the country’s foreign policy based on the principle of balance”.
Regional Implications of Iran’s Full Membership in SCO
Iran is the first country in the Middle East to become the permanent member of this organization which could encourage other regional countries in the future to join SCO. Furthermore, Iran’s membership in this regional organization which is unprecedented after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, will provide Tehran new opportunities and capacities in security, economic and political arenas. Iran’s geopolitical and geostrategic position has made it a safe crossroads for the exchanges of industrial and cultural goods, as well as facilitates trade relations of member states with European, Asian, the Middle Eastern, and even African countries.
Some analysts take a step further and consider Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan and India as five key Eastern powers that would affect world economy and politics on the condition that they could create a coalition within the structure of this organization which addresses security, economic and political aspects at a global scale. Nicole Grajewski, Research Fellow at the Belfer Center’s International Security Program, also focuses on Iran’s regional activities and believes that the “membership would also bolster Tehran’s role in managing regional security and further its quest to add an “Eastern vector” to its foreign policy”.
Iran’s Membership in SCO aligns with its Foreign Policy Priorities
Since Ebrahim Raisi assumed power in Iran, he has highlighted expanding Iran’s relations with regional and neighbor countries, establishing and strengthening bilateral collaboration especially in the field of economy and increasing Iran’s role in regional organizations. The membership also offers Tehran this opportunity to realize these goals and promote neighborhood policy. Another issues which draw both Iran and SCO close to each other are the determination of both sides to deal with unilateralism and fighting with terrorism, and extremism.
Since the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, almost all Iranian authorities have denounced unilateralism due to the threats it could pose to international peace and stability. Similarly, Iranian President condemned unilateralism while attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Dushanbe and mentioned that “Hegemony and unilateralism are failing. The international balance is moving toward multilateralism and redistribution of power to the benefit of independent countries”. He further maintains that “Today, world peace and security are threatened by hegemony and challenges such as terrorism, extremism, and separatism”. Similarly, one of the important motivations of establishing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was to deal with unilateralism and promote the formation of a multipolar international system to address global issues including terrorism and radicalism.
Membership could Neutralize Sanctions
Some Iranian analysts and politicians believe that the membership would help Iran to deepen its economic ties with regional and members states which could not only neutralize sanctions and develop cooperation but also balance Iran’s relations with the West. In this vein Mehdi Safari, former Iranian Ambassador to China, points that “with the permanent membership of Iran in this regional organization, the West would realize that if it impose sanctions on Iran, Iran’s hands would not be tied like before”. He further maintains that “the West would offer Iran some economic privileges in order to balance their ties with Iran”.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also said that this membership marked a practical end to a project that US and some of its partners have been pursuing in order to isolate Iran in the region and beyond. Furthermore, this membership suggests that contrary to the atmosphere existed before signing Iran’s nuclear deal-in which Tehran was isolated in international communities- this time despite the uncertainty over the future of reviving Iran’s nuclear deal- which was complicated by US withdrawal- not only is there no further isolation of Tehran, but even Iran has succeeded in reducing the old isolation.
Future Prospects and Challenges
Up until now, the strategies of Iran in foreign policy arena have focused on paying attention to regional cooperation and convergence with the aim of solving regional problems and achieving security, development and economic prosperity for the nations of the region and beyond. Iran’s full membership in SCO would help Iran to realize these goals.
Furthermore, considering Iran’s 25-year-old deal with China, 20 year cooperation deal with Russia and the membership in SCO, would complete Iran’s “Look to the East policy”, which indicate that the Raisi administration will pursue active regionalism in order to enlist complete support of the SCO member countries, China and Russia, in order to avoid isolation in international communities. Such stance would also expand Iran’s energy relations with the member countries in the future, especially considering Iran’s rich energy resources. However, Iran and US tensions, ambiguous future of Iran’s nuclear deal, and the existence of US sanctions against Iran would challenge Tehran’s membership in SCO.
Behzad Abdollahpour is a freelance writer and researcher at the Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran. Currently, he is studying China Studies at Renmin University.
