Iran wins SCO backing against US strikes: will it be enough?
As the US resumes strikes on Iran to force an end to the six-month-old war, Tehran is turning to multilateral groupings like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Brics for political and diplomatic cover. At the SCO summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, world leaders made veiled references to the instability in the Middle East without naming the United States directly, in apparent tacit backing…
As the United States resumes military strikes on Iran, Tehran is seeking multilateral support from organizations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Brics to bolster its diplomatic position. During the SCO summit in Bishkek, world leaders made veiled references to instability in the Middle East, seemingly providing tacit support for Iran.
The Bishkek Declaration condemned the US military strikes on Iranian territory as violations of international law, potentially serving as a victory for Tehran, though observers suggest the support may be more symbolic than substantial.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the SCO summit for the second time since hostilities began between the US and Iran in late February. He held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the US resumed strikes after a pause, Chinese President Xi Jinping, among other SCO leaders, indirectly criticized the US, warning of external forces undermining regional stability.
China, Iran's largest trading partner, is facing US pressure to sever ties, which could result in secondary sanctions against Chinese banks.
Iranian state media reported a brief meeting between Pezeshkian and Xi, but provided no further details. Sun Degang, a Chinese expert on Middle Eastern affairs, claimed that sanctions would not affect China's support for Iran and might even backfire on the US. He emphasized that China's trade, economic, and energy cooperation with Iran remains resilient.
The SCO summit concluded with member states issuing a joint declaration condemning the military strikes on Iran, reaffirming support for Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and calling for de-escalation through political and diplomatic means. Iran, a 2023 member of the SCO, sought security assurances and greater international recognition, especially from the Global South, during the Brics summit in India.
Sun at Fudan University emphasized that mechanisms like the SCO and Brics were crucial for Iran to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough against renewed attacks and US pressure.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
