TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) can and should play a “leading” and “effective” role in shaping a new economic order in the West Asia region.
Araghchi made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Iran—Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Conference in the capital, Tehran, on Tuesday.
He stated that the ECO, whose members are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, has laid invaluable foundations for regional cooperation in recent years, but has yet to fully realize its vast potential.
“The current level of cooperation does not match the enormous capacities of the ECO region whatsoever,” the top Iranian diplomat said. “The ECO can become a successful model of multilateral economic collaboration among neighboring countries.”
“Iran believes ECO can and should play a leading and effective role in shaping the new economic architecture of the region,” he added.
Araghchi also highlighted the strategic significance of cooperation with Central, South, and West Asian states, stating that such partnerships would bring undeniable added value to all ECO member states.
He underscored the need for collective decision-making and coordinated action to advance toward an “ideal ECO.”
“We are in the process of formulating the vision plan for the next 10 years of ECO, as well as defining strategic goals and drawing paths to achieve them. This process has provided a good opportunity for collective action,” Araghchi noted.
He highlighted that the 17th summit of the Eurasian organization in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi was also a manifestation of such a collective objective at its highest level.
The foreign minister noted that the organization provides a platform for member states to jointly address global economic fluctuations, geopolitical challenges, and rapid technological transformations.
He said the ECO could serve as a suitable framework to promote sustainable development, regional security, and shared prosperity.
“It is essential to draw on existing experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of previous vision plans, including Vision 2025, in formulating a new plan. ECO’s Vision 2035 must be realistic, scientific, operational, and measurable to put the organization on a path to prosperity in the coming decade.
“To achieve such a goal, it is imperative to have a precise understanding
 of the existing opportunities and challenges,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Araghchi pointed to the “unprecedented and blatant violations” of human values, international law, and the UN Charter by the Israeli regime, with the support of certain global powers.
He warned that such unilateral approaches have undermined the post-World War II international order, destabilized global peace and security, and constrained opportunities for cooperation among nations.
“These circumstances underscore the urgent need to strengthen existing multilateral mechanisms and establish new frameworks for collective action,” Araghchi said.
He stressed that cooperation and synergy among developing countries in multilateral settings is no longer a choice, but a necessity.
Underscoring Iran’s own experience as a victim of “U.S. unilateralism and Israeli adventurism,” Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to remaining an active, serious, and constructive player in regional and multilateral economic initiatives.
The ECO promotes regional trade and economic development. Its region is endowed with appropriate capacities, opportunities, and platforms for cooperation in various fields, especially in energy, trade, and transport.
Iran, one of the founders of the organization, is a key member of the group due to its geopolitical and geoeconomic position.
With its impressive energy resources and the geographic location to transfer them to global markets, Iran is an important fulcrum for multilateral cooperation and regional convergence. Besides, it is best placed for transferring energy from Central Asia and the Eurasian region to the world market.