NOURNEWS - Continuing to play important regional roles, Seyed Ibrahim Raisi, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was invited by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, to head a high-level political and economic delegation to attend the ECO Summit, an important event after the Shanghai Summit, in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan.
Iran and Turkmenistan, based on the commonalities and existing capacities of the two sides, have always emphasized the principle of developing relations, including gas exchanges.
Mr. Raisi's visit shows the determination of the two countries to develop relations in all aspects.
Another aspect of this trip is attending the ECO Summit as one of the most important economic cooperation organizations in the region.
The three countries of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey established this organization for the first time in 1962 under the name of "RCD" or "Regional Cooperation for Development" that in 1985, under the name of "ECO", started a new era of its activity.
Following the growing trend of regional integration, Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan also joined the ECO to form a total of 10 countries in the structure of this regional economic cooperation.
A look at the structure of ECO shows that the organization currently has 10 members, a population of about 480 million and an area of 8,620,697 square kilometers, many oil, gas and industry facilities and can play an important role in economic equations.
The point is that; ECO member countries, despite their vast capacities, have not yet been able to make good use of it to enhance their economic potential and play a role in the global economy, while the goals of this organization are defined as coordination and cooperation between members to promote human and economic development.
In the meantime, Iran has always stressed the need for convergence among its members and has declared its readiness to provide its vast capacities to achieve this important goal.
It is an undeniable fact that Iran, with its abundant natural resources, extensive indigenous technical and engineering knowledge, special geographical and transit location, high military and security capabilities, can provide regional security for the economic goals of regional cooperation such as ECO and can play a very important role in making ECO more active at the regional and global levels.
This interactive approach can be seen in the constructive and practical proposals of Iran in previous meetings, which include issues such as health tourism, anti-corruption, the process of customs facilities between members, strengthening scientific and technological cooperation, expanding economic, industrial, agricultural, energy cooperation. The method of purification and exchange with national currencies and the establishment of harmonized customs regulations, etc. have been part of it.
Meanwhile, Iran has allocated a significant part of its regional trade to ECO members, as according to statistics in the first seven months of this year 20 million 327 thousand 839 tons of goods worth 9 billion 233 million 536 thousand 792 dollars Iran and 9 other ECO countries were exchanged, of which 17 million 440 thousand 617 tons worth six billion 30 million 544 thousand seven dollars, the share of exports and two million 887 thousand 222 tons worth three billion 302 million dollars. $ 992,785 was the share of imports from these countries.
Many ECO members are also members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and this could be a link between the two major economic and political institutions to develop regional relations.
This integration is essential, especially in the economic and security spheres.
Resolving the crisis imposed by the occupiers on Afghanistan, which has left millions of new refugees and has devastating effects on the region, is essential with the convergence of neighbors, including in the form of ECO and Shanghai.
Iran, which has held several meetings in recent months to resolve the Afghan crisis or has played an active role in these meetings, is now ready to join the ECO to help the Afghan people meet the threats and challenges facing the region, including an active role with imposed economic terrorism.
Attending the ECO Summit after the Shanghai Summit is a sign of Iran's important and valuable role-playing in regional equations and an important step in achieving economic and regional diplomacy to neutralize sanctions, which is derived from the correct policy of not adhering to JCPOA and Western promises.
The 13th Administration of Iran is emphasizing endogenous and regional economics, in addition to continuing consultations to lift sanctions.
Europe and the United States must also realize that the tactic of sanctions has practically failed, and that they will have no choice but to lift the sanctions on Iran altogether.
BY: Pooya Mirzaei
NOURNEWS