Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Vice President, elaborated on Iran's economic roadmap at the restricted meeting of the prime ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in light of unilateral threats against Iran, stating: "These threats have serious impacts on the lives of people and the economies of countries."
Development of Financial and Banking Cooperation
Aref stressed the necessity of using national currencies for trade settlements and creating independent payment mechanisms among the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He said: "Iran welcomes the ongoing trends in financial cooperation and emphasizes the acceleration of establishing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Development Bank."
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Establishment of an Energy Consortium
The First Vice President further proposed that member countries share their experiences in the energy sector and move towards establishing an energy consortium of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He emphasized: "We believe that in the energy field, we must move from dialogue to deepening cooperation."
Aref also pointed to the necessity of strengthening trilateral cooperation with Tajikistan and Afghanistan, stating: "Iran is ready to cooperate in oil and gas exploration activities, petrochemical industries, and the export of petroleum products to Tajikistan."
International Consequences and Security of the Caspian Sea
The First Vice President, during a meeting with Mikhail Mishustin, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, emphasized the necessity of Iran's sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, stating: "We have no choice but to exercise sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz to maintain our security." He also warned about Ukraine's attempts to escalate tensions to the Caspian Sea, saying: "We must be careful that the Caspian Sea does not become a new center of insecurity."
Aref highlighted the importance of completing rail, road, and maritime transportation routes for the transfer of 17 million tons of goods in the region, emphasizing the development of ports in Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea.
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