TEHRAN - The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is seeking global peace and works to uphold international law, Iran's ambassador to China has said.

In an interview with the Chinese People's Daily Online published on Saturday, Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh stated that the SCO seeks to assist in providing better answers to the problems faced by member states as well as the region.

Keshavarzadeh responded to a question about the significance of Iran joining the bloc by pointing out that the organization includes members from Central and Eastern Asia in addition to other regions, and this can give Iran a platform to make overtures with all of these countries.

He said that Iran will eventually gain from an organization like the SCO, which is the only one in the world without a Western power as a member.

On a question that some Western nations equate the SCO with NATO, he said such a comparison is wrong because the SCO is an inclusive bloc and not a military alliance.

In order to create a win-win scenario and provide better answers to the problems that Asian countries confront, a cooperative organization was established, the ambassador opined.

The diplomat further stated that the SCO seeks global peace and strives to better the international order, but NATO seeks dominance and has caused crises in Europe, such as the one currently underway between Russia and Ukraine. That is, he explained, since the SCO does not seek to be dominant, it is successful.

"NATO's policies and performance are undermining global peace," the envoy emphasized.

In terms of combating terrorism, Keshavarzzadeh stated that Iran is a victim of terrorism and that collaboration with the Shanghai organization will benefit the country in countering terrorism.

In response to criticism of China's human rights record by the West, the Iranian envoy also said Western nations, including the U.S., are using the human rights issue as a tool to meddle in China's internal affairs and exert pressure on the country to obstruct its path of rapid development.

Regarding ties between Tehran and Beijing, the ambassador noted that China is Iran's largest trading partner. 

The two nations enjoy strong links and their leaders are frequently in contact, he remarked.