Iran Joins SCO: A Political Signal to the West

In a move that has caught attention of global observers, Iran has officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic, and security organization, as announced in the New Delhi Declaration of the SCO Heads of State Council on Tuesday.

With Iran becoming a fully-fledged member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the alliance has welcomed yet another regional powerhouse, showing a persistent determination to counter the concept of a unipolar world.

Iran's membership in the SCO carries significant political implications for the West and the United States, some experts believe.

Shoaib Bahman, head of the Institute for Strategic Researchers in the Contemporary World (Tehran) and an Iranian expert on Russian and Eurasian affairs, told Sputnik:

"The first reason is political. Although the SCO is positioned as an economic organization, it operates with a multipolar approach," the expert explained.

According to Bahman, Iran's membership in the SCO sends a clear message to the West and the United States.

"Iran's accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a significant and expanding alliance that is gaining strength on the global political stage and will undoubtedly have a growing influence on international politics, sends a political message to the West and the United States," he stressed.

Bahman noted that the SCO is often referred to as the "NATO of the East". This label encompasses the organization's status, the attention it attracts worldwide, and the high level of interaction among its member states.

"The economic and political potential of the SCO members is considerable, and with Iran's membership, it will only increase. Iran's inclusion in the SCO offers good prospects for strengthening the organization's security and enhancing cultural ties within it," the expert said.

Furthermore, Bahman stressed that SCO membership lays the foundation for Iran's possible accession to other major international organizations, which will have a positive impact on the Islamic Republic's reputation.

Mojtaba Jelalzadeh, an Iranian expert on international politics, expressed his views on Iran's entry into the SCO, saying that it carries important messages for both the region and the world.

"The first message is that the Islamic Republic's policy is oriented toward the East, with the Western vector significantly diminished compared to the not-so-distant past," he told Sputnik.

"Second, strengthening trade and economic ties within the SCO framework will allow the Islamic Republic to find effective ways to bypass American sanctions," he added.

"Finally, with Iran’s membership in the SCO, the organization will gain another regional power, thus continuing the struggle against a unipolar world," Jelalzadeh concluded.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, speaking at an online meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of State under the chairmanship of India, emphasized that membership in the SCO would provide Iran with an opportunity to strengthen its security, ensure its sovereignty, and promote sustainable economic development.

As Iran solidifies its position within the SCO, geopolitical dynamics in the region are expected to shift, further prompting the international community to anticipate how this strategic alliance will shape the future dynamics on the international stage.