Iran Joins Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Gaining Support from Putin, Xi, and Modi

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have welcomed Iran as the ninth full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a significant security and trade alliance. The SCO, which includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, now represents around 40 percent of the world's population and controls approximately 20 percent of the world's oil reserves. During the virtual summit, the leaders expressed their congratulations to Iran and emphasized the importance of enhancing ties, resisting Western sanctions, and combating terrorism. Putin also thanked the member states for their support during a recent mutiny in Russia.