Int'l disputes must be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy: Iran VP
Tehran - BORNA - The full text of Aref's speech at the restricted session of the SCO prime ministers' meeting in Dushanbe is as follows:
"His Excellency Qohir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan; Excellencies, Prime Ministers and Heads of Delegations; Ladies and Gentlemen:
"At the outset, I express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the friendly and brotherly government and people of the Republic of Tajikistan for the worthy hosting of this summit, and to the honorable SCO Secretary-General and his colleagues for facilitating this meeting. I wish the great nation of Tajikistan pride, prosperity, and sustainable development.
"Over the past 25 years, the SCO has navigated an eventful path and has now become the largest regional organization in the world. Given its immense development opportunities, the SCO today needs, more than ever, to translate its capacities into practical and tangible cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, culture, and humanitarian affairs. The credibility and effectiveness of this organization depend on joint decisions and initiatives leading to executive projects and mechanisms, with their benefits reaching the people of the member states in a real and sustainable manner. In this regard, this summit is an opportune moment to assess the progress made in improving the organization's activities and to chart the future course of cooperation.
"Dear colleagues;
"This meeting is being held at a time when the shadow of threats, war, and unilateral actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, as an SCO member, has affected the atmosphere of regional cooperation. While strongly condemning these actions, we believe that the dimensions of these crimes do not merely serve as an instrument of economic pressure on a specific country; rather, their impacts can affect the lives of the people and the economies of nations as much as a full-scale war. Such illegal actions affect transportation costs, energy, trade, and supply chains of various countries, and from this perspective, they are also considered an economic challenge for all SCO members and their trading partners.
Int'l disputes must be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy
"Ladies and gentlemen;
"The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the necessity of full respect for the UN Charter, principles of international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the principle of non-use of force. We believe that international disputes and challenges must be resolved through dialogue, cooperation, and legal and diplomatic mechanisms. However, a sustainable response to shared economic threats cannot be summarized merely in condemning them.
"We must strengthen our economic capacities within the organization. To enhance the resilience and effectiveness of cooperation within the SCO, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes a series of operational initiatives in commercial, economic, financial, transit, energy, digital, cultural, and humanitarian fields.
"It is highly gratifying to witness cultural and humanitarian interactions within the SCO. We believe we must strengthen our humanitarian approach in the face of economic warfare. People's access to medicine, water, food, and health services should not be affected by political conflicts and economic measures. The right to education is a fundamental human right and must not fall victim to political and economic pressures, just as 168 schoolchildren in Minab lost their lives under the military aggression of the US and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"The US and the Zionist regime, violating all rules of international law and international humanitarian law during their February 28 military aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the schoolchildren on the first day, martyred many innocent civilians and targeted residential, educational, and medical facilities, as well as infrastructure. The zealous armed forces and the noble, united people of Iran inflicted a severe defeat on the aggressors.
"We appreciate the support of the SCO and its members in condemning the aggressors and the armed attacks, and we emphasize holding the aggressors accountable.
Iran welcomes SCO financial, banking cooperation
"Dear colleagues;
"The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the ongoing trends in the SCO's financial and banking cooperation and stresses the need to continue and accelerate them. In the financial and monetary sectors, deepening and expanding cooperation is essential. Greater use of national currencies in trade settlements, the creation of independent payment mechanisms, and the strengthening of cooperation among the member states' banks are necessities of the current situation.
"In this vein, we emphasize expediting the review and establishment of the SCO Development Bank to finance joint projects, help resolve challenges in the payment system, and mitigate risks arising from sanctions and financial restrictions. This bank must have maximum independence from the financial systems of countries that use economic tools to gain unilateral advantages in international affairs.
Iranian bank's membership in Interbank Consortium must be expedited
"We also support the continued activities of the SCO Business Council's Interbank Consortium, which plays a major role in implementing mutually beneficial joint economic projects. The approval of this consortium's development strategy for 2027-2031 in Bishkek was an important step in this regard. We expect the process of the Iranian bank's membership in the Interbank Consortium to be accelerated and finalized soon.
"Excellencies;
"The economy of the future is the digital economy. The SCO can become a hub for cooperation in artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and the platform economy. Exchanging experiences, implementing joint projects, actively participating in existing AI initiatives, creating a common market for innovative companies and startups, and exchanging expert personnel can connect the scientific capacities of member states.
"In the field of digital economy and technology, I propose that member states share their experiences in e-government, digital trade, financial technologies, AI, data infrastructure, and digital services, paving the way for joint projects in this area. Strengthening the SCO Digital Economy Forum, developing regional value chains, expanding industrial cooperation, transferring technology, and establishing a cooperation network among the member states' economic enterprises can transform the SCO from an economic cooperation framework into a real network of production, trade, and investment.
Iran ready to play effective role in regional corridors
"To facilitate trade and logistics in the region, the Islamic Republic of Iran supports improving the performance and efficiency of regional and international transport corridors and is ready to play an effective role in regional corridors.
"The member states' capacities in accessing open seas, port networks, rail and road capabilities, and geographical locations allow the SCO to act as a reliable platform connecting the countries of the region. Member states can implement a successful model of economic and commercial preferences by offering maritime and port facilities and discounts within the organization. The electronic exchange of transport documents and the move toward digital trade and customs documents can also significantly reduce the cost and time of trade. The development of intra-organizational trade will also help improve the organization's efficiency.
Effective implementation of 2030 energy strategy serves mutual interests
"We believe that in the energy sector, we must move from dialogue toward deepening cooperation and establishing an SCO Energy Consortium; a consortium not limited to oil and gas trade but covering production, transmission, distribution, infrastructure security, financing, energy exchange, technology, and renewable energies. The effective implementation of the energy cooperation strategy until 2030 serves our shared interests and must be accompanied by joint projects. At the same time, energy security must not be ignored during the energy transition process.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to share its scientific and technological capacities with member states and cooperate in forming joint knowledge-based companies, particularly in new technologies, increasing productivity, and decarbonizing the oil and gas industries.
"Alongside the economy, we must not neglect food security. By creating complementary production chains, we can gradually harmonize health standards and health certificates, and by establishing joint digital platforms, we can directly connect producers to exporters and buyers.
"Low-water agricultural management, water recycling, combating desertification, and using renewable energies in agriculture are also areas where cooperation benefits us all. I propose the formation of an SCO agriculture and food security working group focusing on forecasting food crises, exchanging information, and reducing vulnerability to supply and demand shocks.
"Honorable Heads of Government;
"If we want the SCO to be more effective in the coming decade, we must apply one principle to all our decisions: economic cooperation must lead to security and peace, and human cooperation must underpin economic cooperation. Multilateralism is powerful when it has tangible impacts on people's lives. We need a system where trade is easier, goods transit is faster, financing is more reliable, energy is more sustainable, technology is more accessible, and human cooperation is deeper. This goal cannot be achieved solely through political decisions; it requires efficient executive institutions, sustainable financial resources, and active private sector participation.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with all SCO members and its international partners on this path, based on mutual respect, shared interests, and equality. I am confident that if our countries' capacities are linked, the geography of the SCO can transform from a geographical reality into an economic and human strategic advantage.
"In conclusion, I would like to once again thank His Excellency Qohir Rasulzoda, the honorable Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, for his warm hospitality and the excellent organization of this summit. I am confident that our joint work in Dushanbe will contribute to the development of multilateral cooperation within the organization and the strengthening of security, sustainable development, and prosperity throughout the region and the world. I also wish the Republic of Uzbekistan success during its rotating presidency of the SCO."
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