President Pezeshkian Urges SCO to Strengthen Global Peace and Economic Cooperation
Tianjin, The Gulf Observer: President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to take decisive and transparent measures to foster global peace and enhance economic cooperation.
Arriving in Tianjin, China, a day earlier, President Pezeshkian delivered a speech on Monday at the 25th SCO Heads of State Summit, highlighting the Organization’s critical role in shaping a multipolar world order. He urged member states to pursue coordinated strategies for peace-building and financial integration.
To counter the effects of unilateral sanctions, President Pezeshkian introduced the SCO special accounts and settlements mechanism. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on the US dollar by promoting trade settlements in national currencies, developing shared digital infrastructure, and adopting central bank digital currencies for secure and rapid transactions. Additionally, a multilateral currency swap fund will support member states facing liquidity crises or external economic pressure.
President Pezeshkian condemned recent military actions against Iran by the United States and Israel, as well as ongoing violence in Gaza, describing them as failures of the current global governance system. “These developments underscore the urgent need for a new model of international cooperation rooted in justice and mutual respect,” he said.
He welcomed proposals to establish specialized centers to combat transnational threats, including drug trafficking and terrorism, and endorsed the creation of rapid response mechanisms for crises, as well as strategic research hubs to guide policy development. The president also advocated for expanding the SCO’s official languages to foster inclusivity and deeper cultural exchange.
On infrastructure, President Pezeshkian announced that Iran’s Chabahar Port will soon be linked to the national railway network, significantly enhancing connectivity between China, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and the Indian Ocean.
Iran considers the SCO’s 10-year development strategy a historic opportunity to deepen cooperation across key sectors, including infrastructure, technology, energy, digital economy, climate change, culture, and science.
Heading a high-level political and economic delegation, President Pezeshkian departed Tehran earlier in the day at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. His visit includes delivering a speech at the SCO summit, meetings with President Xi, and discussions with other leaders and officials on the sidelines of the gathering.
