Iranian president, FM hail Iran's full SCO membership

TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday that his country's full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will bring historical benefits.

Iran's full membership was approved at the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO held via video conference on Tuesday, according to a statement published by the Iranian presidential office on its official website.

In his address to the summit made from Tehran, Raisi said the SCO is "a growing organization with significant indicators and capacities and an excellent position" in expanding political, security and economic cooperation.

He expressed hope that Iran's membership in the organization would prepare the ground for ensuring collective security, promoting sustainable development, developing connectivity, strengthening unity, ensuring further respect for countries' sovereignty, and enhancing synergy when dealing with environmental threats.

Raisi stressed that the SCO is currently in a position that can open up new horizons in terms of regional convergence and security-ensuring cooperation.

In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran's full SCO membership is an "important" step in pursuing an all-inclusive foreign policy, expanding relations with neighbors and pursuing a "look to Asia" approach.

He stressed that as the ninth SCO member, his country will make efforts to improve cooperation within the group, help achieve its objectives and make full use of the membership's advantages.