WNAM REPORT: At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China’s Tianjin, President Masoud Pezeshkian called for concrete steps to strengthen peace and financial cooperation.
Masoud Pezeshkian, on Monday morning, at the 25th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tianjin, China, stated that regarding strengthening financial cooperation to reduce the effects of illegal sanctions in the economic interactions of members, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes that the initiative of ‘Special Accounts and Settlements of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’ be enhanced as a practical mechanism to strengthen financial cooperation.” He stressed that this initiative is based on three main pillars: expanding settlements with national currencies and reducing dependence on the dollar in members’ transactions, launching joint digital infrastructures and using central bank digital currencies for secure and rapid payments, and creating a multilateral currency swap fund to support countries facing sanction pressures.
“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a symbol of the peace-seeking and peace-loving nature of its members in a world that faces a new crisis every day. The illegal military aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Zionist regime and the United States last June, along with the ongoing massacre of the oppressed people of Gaza and the excessive expansion of illegal sanctions against various countries, are clear examples of the contemporary world’s failure to achieve a proper model of global governance and to establish international peace and security,” Pezeshkian said during his speech at the SCO summit.
“Since its establishment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, with an emphasis on the principles of mutual trust and benefit, equality, collective consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and common development, has set its main objective as ensuring collective security and expanding cooperation in various fields. In line with these principles, the Islamic Republic of Iran declares its full readiness to play an appropriate role in this regard,” the Iranian president added.
He went on to say that Tehran believes that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as one of the key pillars of multipolarity in the international system, must take concrete, specific, and transparent steps along two parallel paths: creating a more peaceful world and building a more prepared world for the expansion of economic cooperation. “In this regard, I would like to emphasize the Islamic Republic of Iran’s specific proposal for a more organized pursuit of two essential efforts: the “necessity of peacebuilding” and the “necessity of strengthening financial cooperation to reduce the impact of unilateral sanctions.”
“In the field of peacebuilding, it is necessary to establish a committee composed of the foreign ministers of the member states, which, through consultation and exchange of views on the various crises that threaten regional peace and security, would formulate operational proposals for crisis management and provide a mechanism for their follow-up. This committee should have the capacity to convene immediately, at the request of any member, in response to different crises, whether potential or actual, and to officially act as the intellectual and operational arm of the Organization in fulfilling its role. In particular, when the sovereignty of a member state is violated, this mechanism must respond immediately and, through various means, strive to support the member whose sovereignty has been infringed.”
According to Pezeshkian, regarding strengthening financial cooperation to reduce the impact of illegal sanctions on the economic interactions of the members, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes that the initiative of “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Special Accounts and Settlements” be reinforced as a practical mechanism for enhancing financial cooperation. This initiative is based on three main pillars: expanding settlements in national currencies and reducing dependence on the dollar in member exchanges, establishing joint digital infrastructures and utilizing central bank digital currencies for secure and swift payments, and creating a multilateral currency swap fund to support countries facing sanction pressures or liquidity crises.
“We believe that the implementation of this initiative can not only increase the economic resilience of the members, but also turn the Shanghai Cooperation Organization into a successful model for building a multipolar, fair, and pressure-resistant financial order.”
Pezeshkian further stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes initiatives such as establishing specialized centers to counter security threats and challenges, setting up a center for combating drug trafficking, developing rapid-response mechanisms in times of crisis, creating a strategic studies center, and expanding the official languages of the Organization. Iran considers these measures to be effective steps toward strengthening collective cooperation and building lasting bonds among nations.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on its unique geopolitical and transit position and its access to various regions, is also prepared to provide the necessary platform for the expansion of regional cooperation and to facilitate access for interested countries, he said, adding that with the efforts underway, the port of Chabahar on the Indian Ocean will soon be connected to the nationwide railway network of the Islamic Republic of Iran, creating a major transformation in linking China, Central Asian countries, and Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean. Investors can take advantage of various facilities and incentives for development projects and the establishment of logistics centers in this port.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran regards the implementation of the ten-year development strategy of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a historic opportunity to expand cooperation and investment in infrastructure, technological development, energy, the digital economy, climate and environmental issues, culture, and science, and it is ready to play an active role in realizing these objectives.”
