TEHRAN – The Chinese ambassador to Tehran has said that contrary to “Western media rumors”, Beijing has never been opposed to Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, endorsing Tehran’s efforts to join the security bloc.

“During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Iran, China announced its support for Iran’s accession to the body,” Pang Sen told a press briefing held at the Chinese Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday.

President Jinping was the first international leader to visit Iran one week after the international nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, including China, took force on January 16, 2016.

“Decisions are taken unanimously at the organization, and we suggest Iran consult with all the other members,” Mr. Sen said.

China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the SCO in 2001 to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighboring Afghanistan.

In addition to the member states, the body has six observer states, including Iran, and six dialogue partners.

The group notably rejected the U.S. from gaining observer status in 2004, reinforcing the impression that its goal is to exist in opposition to Western political and military alliances.

While having an observer status since 2005, Tehran’s bid to join the bloc has failed so far.

During a two-day summit in June 2016, state members appeared reluctant to consider Iran’s membership push, failing to reach a consensus.

“During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Iran, China announced its support for Iran’s accession to the body,” Ambassador Pang Sen told a press briefing on Tuesday.

Pakistan and India are expected to officially become member states in the body’s upcoming summit this week.

There were unconfirmed reports on China getting in the way of Iran, what the Chinese ambassador rejected as “Western media rumors”.  

On Sunday, Assistant Chinese Foreign Minister Li Huilai said Beijing supports Iran’s membership to the bloc and the subject will be discussed at the group’s summit.

Iran has for a long time “proactively participated” in its activities and has made positive contributions to the SCO’s development, the senior diplomat said.

“China highly appraises this. China welcomes and supports Iran’s wish to become a formal member of the SCO,” Huilai told reporters, ahead of the summit in Kazakh capital Astana which president Jinping will attend.

“I think that at this meeting all sides will continue to conscientiously study the issue of Iran becoming a member on the basis of the SCO's relevant rules and consensus through consultations.”

On Thursday, Russia said it sees Iran as the next candidate for full membership in the SCO after the accession of India and Pakistan.

“The next candidate, according to Russia, following India and Pakistan, should be Iran, as well as other states that meet our criteria for the SCO membership,” Russian Special Presidential Envoy to the SCO Bakhtier Khakimov said on Thursday during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

According to the envoy, the SCO has a great potential to become a key international platform.

Back in April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Iran fully fits the criteria for membership of the bloc and said that discussions on its bid to join would happen this summer.

“Next in line [for membership]...is Iran, which has resolved issues related to sanctions from the UN Security Council,” Lavrov told Russian state news agency Itar-Tass.

Also, in a joint statement after high-level talks between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his opposite number Vladimir Putin in March in Moscow, the Russian side reiterated its support to Iran’s bid for the full-fledged SCO membership and spoke in favor of the application.

While China and Russia now throw their weight behind Tehran’s endeavor, some other members, particularly Tajikistan, seem to be opposed to the accession.

Relations between Iran and Tajikistan came under strain in December 2015 as Iran officially invited Muhiddin Kabiri, leader of the Islamic Revival Party, to attend the International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran.

Tajikistan banned IRPT last September after accusing it of being linked to a failed coup in 2016.

AK/PA