Iran is ready to expand cooperation with SCO, BRICS, says President

UFA, July 10. /TASS/. Iranian government is prepared to develop cooperation with the countries whose economies are developing the most rapidly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday as he addressed the heads of the countries making up the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, and the Eurasian Economic Community (EEC). "Considering the challenges, which we come to face with in the 21st century, Iran is prepared as never before to the expansion of cooperation with the most rapidly developing economies so as to broaden the opportunities to meet the demands of its own people and to contribute to the cause of peace, stability and global security," Rouhani said. He said the summit in Ufa was taking place at a time when Iran and the countries united in the P5+1 group were rounding up the talks to hammer out a conclusive agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme. Rouhani said the talks proved the Western nations had finally realized there was no stopping Iran’s peaceful atomic energy programme. He voiced the hope the lifting of sanctions would enable Iran to become more open to cooperation with the SCO, BRICS, and the EEC. "We think the three political and economic organizations that bring together more than 50% of the world’s population, that produce and consume the largest amount of energy, that have a huge economic potential and a huge manufacturing sector are capable of generating new approaches to the solutions of the problems dictated by the 21st century," Rouhani said. Iran that boasts a population of 80 million people, unique sources of energy, ore mines, and a diversity of mineral resources has all the prerequisites for becoming integrated in scientific and technological progress, broad economic collaboration and steady development of the member-states of these organizations, he said with confidence. "Iran is interested in diversifying of its economic relations and in closer international cooperation," Rouhani said. He recalled his country’s strategic geographic location as an element linking the East and the West, which makes its railways and automobile roads highly attractive for other countries. Rouhani also pointed out the presence of up-to-date airports and commercial seaports both on the Caspian Sea and on the coast of the Persian Gulf, saying investment attraction is growing. North-South and Silk Road corridors linking Europe, Caucasus and Asia stretch across the Iranian territory, adding more stimuli for investors. Rouhani said along with it Iran has one of the most investor-friendly and comprehensive laws on protection of foreign investments. He once against stressed the significance of closer cooperation in the field of national and regional security and in counteraction to terrorism and violent extremism. Read more