Officials Stress SCO’s Role Against Western Overreach, Sanctions
TEHRAN — Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh on Monday described the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit as a significant platform to counteract Western unilateralism and economic domination.
Speaking on the sidelines of the summit in China, Nasirzadeh, who accompanied President Masoud Pezeshkian on his visit to Beijing, emphasized that the world today faces “unilateralism and overreach by the West in security, economic, and political spheres.”
“The SCO and similar alliances like BRICS offer appropriate alternatives to confront this one-sided approach,” Nasirzadeh stated. He underscored the importance of forging new coalitions to enhance cooperation among nations, bolster regional security, and develop economies resilient to sanctions.
“The formation of new economic and security coalitions enables countries to collaborate in securing their regions while developing their economies to withstand sanctions,” he added. “The SCO was established with these objectives and has already yielded positive results.”
The remarks came as President Pezeshkian led a high-level delegation to the SCO and Shanghai Plus summits in Tianjin, China. The delegation included key ministers from defense, economy, and foreign affairs.
Iranian officials stress the strategic