Discussion on Iran's accession to the SCO

The signing ceremony of the Protocol was held on March 11, 2022 in Tashkent following the consultations of the plenipotentiaries of the SCO member states and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The document approved a draft memorandum on Iran's obligations to become a member of the SCO.

The event was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov, heads of permanent structures of the SCO, national coordinators of member states, as well as heads and staff of diplomatic missions of China and Iran in Tashkent.

The signing of the protocol was a consequentially practical step towards the implementation of the decision of the heads of eight states at the SCO summit in Dushanbe last year to start the process of admitting Iran to the Organization.

The document calls on the Iranian side to adhere to the goals and principles of the SCO Charter, international agreements and documents adopted within the Organization after its accession, to develop friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with member states and to enhance the SCO's prestige in international and regional affairs.

The next step in this process will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and fulfillment of these commitments within the framework of the SCO Summit in Samarkand in September in 2022. After that, the leaders of the SCO member states will consider the issue of granting Iran the status of a member of the SCO.