(MENAFN) Iran is seeking to transform the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) into a global security alliance that could rival NATO, signaling a significant strategic shift. At the mid-July SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in China, Tehran made clear that it no longer sees the group as just a regional forum, but as a serious alternative to Western-led alliances.

This pivot reflects Iran’s broader rejection of the existing Western-dominated global order and its embrace of a new Eurasian-centric vision. The summit showcased growing multilateral cooperation across the region, even amid mounting global instability. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended the event and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, underscoring the deepening partnership between Moscow and Beijing.

On the sidelines, Lavrov also held discussions with top diplomats from China, Pakistan, India, and Iran. His meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi centered on diplomatic efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program and further strengthen strategic ties.

Araghchi used the platform to thank the SCO for its support amid ongoing tensions with Israel, emphasizing that Iran considers the organization a functional tool for fostering regional unity and enhancing global influence—not merely a symbolic group.

Despite predictions from Western analysts that internal divisions would limit the SCO’s effectiveness, India’s active participation demonstrated the organization’s ability to accommodate differing national interests. Unlike NATO’s centralized structure, the SCO has shown it can operate through flexible consensus-building.

For Russia, the SCO remains a critical element of its strategy in Eurasia, acting as a bridge between China, South and Central Asia, and now, a more assertive Iran. Moscow’s focus is on shaping a new geopolitical balance through multi-directional diplomacy and regional integration.

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