Iran Joins Eurasian Economic, Security Organization as It Continues To Suffer Under Sanctions

Iran has agreed to become a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – the Eurasian political, economic and security organization made up of China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Pakistan – an attempt to overcome its national economic woes caused by US sanctions over its nuclear program. Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia are observer countries, as was Iran until Thursday, when it signed a Memorandum of Obligations to become a permanent member, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. “The relationship between countries that are sanctioned by the US, such as Iran, Russia or other countries, can overcome many problems and issues and make them stronger,” Raisi said during the meeting. “The Americans think whichever country they impose sanctions on, it will be stopped, their perception is a wrong one.” Iran’s announcement that it has joined the SCO comes as negotiations toward revitalizing its nuclear deal with the world powers, that trades the lifting of economic sanctions for curbs on its nuclear program, has become bogged down in disagreements over some provisions.