Iran has long sought to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a trade and security alliance of mostly authoritarian states that aspires to be a Eurasian alternative to the G7. The summit will be held at the historic crossroads of the Silk Road in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. “There is only one way out of the dangerous spiral of problems in an interconnected world in which we all live today – through constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on appreciation and respect for everyone’s interests,” wrote Uzbekistan’s President Savkat Mirziyoyev in an op-ed. peak. Chinese President Xi Jinping, on his first trip abroad since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, was in Kazakhstan on Wednesday ahead of a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit on Thursday, their first since before. the war in Ukraine. Mr Putin’s planned appearance comes after his forces suffered devastating military losses in northeastern Ukraine and a rise in public criticism at home over the cost of his seven-month war. The SCO, which meets this week for its 22nd leadership summit, has struggled for relevance since its formation more than two decades ago. It lacks enforcement mechanisms and trade within the bloc is negligible, with most member states still dependent on the West for trade and technological know-how. But it could take on new importance as hostilities between the West and Eurasian powers Russia and China over the Ukraine war, Taiwan and a widening range of other geopolitical and trade issues. Other full members of the SCO are India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Together the bloc comprises 40 percent of the world’s population and nearly a third of its economy. SCO observer states include Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are partners and will send heads of state or high-level envoys. None of the countries are known as paragons of democracy and the rule of law, and most are drifting deeper into authoritarianism. “It’s an organization made up of non-democratic regimes,” said Anna Yordanova, a scholar who focuses on Central Asian politics at the Association for International Affairs, a think tank in Prague. “The SCO helps represent the regimes as they are now. It helps stabilize the status quo.” Mr Putin’s appearance alongside other world leaders could improve his standing among Russians who worry that Moscow’s war against Ukraine is damaging its international standing. On the other hand, other leaders may treat Mr. Putin coolly at the summit, undermining him further. Although its economic importance is infringing, Ms. Jordanova said the SCO could come together for Afghanistan’s stability. The country was seized by the Taliban last year and was the main topic of the 2021 summit. A policeman stands guard in Registan Square in central Samarkand (AFP via Getty) Iran’s entry into the SCO not only gives the organization a foothold in the Middle East and along the Persian Gulf, but could help efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, Ms. Jordanova said. Iran is currently at a diplomatic crossroads over restoring a threatened nuclear deal that could improve its economic and political ties with the West or further strain relations if talks collapse. “From Tehran’s perspective, joining the SCO can help legitimize the current regime and strengthen the government’s position,” Ms Jordanova said. “It may be a signal to the West that Iran has alternatives,” he said. “Iran cannot cut all ties with the West and turn completely to the East. However, joining the SCO may give Iran benefits in the long run.”
