MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Iran could become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) after sanctions against the country are lifted, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday.
"We assume that the completion of everything linked to the removal of sanction pressure on Iran will open before this country a way to membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Ryabkov said, speaking at the BRICS Global University Summit (GUS) in Moscow.
In July, Iran reached a historic deal with the P5+1 group of international mediators, including Russia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, guaranteeing Tehran will not develop nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of sanctions on the country.
The European Union and the United States both adopted a legislative framework to begin lifting anti-Iran sanctions on October 18.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that he expected most of the sanctions to be removed by the end of 2015.
