China refuses Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization despite Russia’s insistence

[MastanKhan]

What is being cooked sir?

Hi,

Supposedly the U S will look the other way if Iran starts playing ball and do some of its bidding.

 

[yantong1980]

Only one that answer all of this: China...not some mislead article coming out nowhere.

 

[Desertfalcon]

as useless as your towel paper after you wiped out your waste

Dude...ewww.

 

[B@KH]

Hi,

Supposedly the U S will look the other way if Iran starts playing ball and do some of its bidding.

nothing such a thing.

What is being cooked sir?

may be due to some unknown china allies do not like Iran to be part of SCO.
secondly Iran not opening its country to cheap quality products from china.
next time there will be some other reason.

 

[MastanKhan]

What is being cooked sir?

Hi,

Iran---Afghanistan---India---USA---that is the new alliance---. Because pakistan and Gwadar port is a heart attack to the U S.

 

[MastanKhan]

What is cooking between US and Iran? Can you explain?

A foursome-----

 

[SOHEIL]

Iran---Afghanistan---India---USA---that is the new alliance

Made me disappointed

 

[The SC]

Iran is still under some UN sanctions for offensive weapons procurement, i think a member of an organization that has a defence protocol integrated into it, needs all members to be out of any kind of sanctions..Russia tries to show that iran is under its wing but China does not see it that way , it wants a strong and fully capabale member, and the defense part is the main issue here, economically Iran can stand its place..

Hi,

Iran---Afghanistan---India---USA---that is the new alliance---. Because pakistan and Gwadar port is a heart attack to the U S.

Not Iran.. it is too smart for that..

 

[somebozo]

Who is running China's foreign policy? I can say one of most amateurish. Iran is more valuable to SCO than either India or Pakistan because of its open opposition to Americans.

Anyway tantrums thrown by Chinese is getting hilarious

the purpose is of SCO is regional stability not hostility towards Americans and in that context Iran is the least bit qualified to join...

 

[dadeechi]

That is surprising as i was under impression that China would like to bring Iran to SCO

Seems like China is developing cold feet as Russia & India have closer relations with Iran than China & Pakistan.

 

[Kaniska]

Seems like China is developing cold feet as Russia & India have closer relations with Iran than China & Pakistan.

I do not think so...The great thing about China is that they do not see the way we see...Rather they behave like our Marwari brothers...If they do not see a profit, they will have a cold shoulder to them...

 

[dadeechi]

I do not think so...The great thing about China is that they do not see the way we see...Rather they behave like our Marwari brothers...If they do not see a profit, they will have a cold shoulder to them...

There is always a right time for everything.

Iran & Turkey may join SCO at the same time.

 

[SOHEIL]

We won't join...

 

[yavar]

We won't join...

i double that

 

[X-2.]

Over the past year, in the wake of the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and the lifting of sanctions, discussion of the possibility of Iran’s accession to the SCO was once again seriously raised. Interestingly, Russia has this time presented itself as the idea's main supporter. However, the fact of the matter is that the Russian policy shift is more closely related to Moscow’s own situation following the 2014 Ukraine crisis than to post-sanctions Iran. The Ukraine crisis, which led to the most serious confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War, prompted Moscow to develop its relations with key regional players in its neighborhood and strengthen multilateral regional structures to offset the pressure from NATO and the United States. Russia’s expanding bilateral relations with China and Iran, its plans to develop the Eurasian Economic Union and its attempts to play a more active role within the SCO are just a few of the indications of this trend. Indeed, for the Russians, pursuit of this approach is so important that on June 24 — just one day after the failure to initiate Iran’s admission process — President Vladimir Putin once again said that there is no obstacle to Iran's accession to the SCO.

China, as the other great power in the SCO, has a somewhat similar approach to the need to strengthen the organization. Over the past two years, China has entered a cycle of increasing tensions with the United States over a range of issues, especially its sovereignty over the South China Sea. Thus, Beijing shares Moscow’s view of the necessity of balancing US actions through the expansion of regional cooperation.

In contrast, since the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran has focused on improving its deteriorated relations with the West. This effort is evidenced by the frequent diplomatic trips to Iran by senior European officials and also similar visits to European capitals by Iranian Foreign MinisterMohammad Javad Zarif. Given that the SCO is known in the international sphere as a club of revisionist states at best, and at worst as a wholly anti-Western organization or the “NATO of the East,” it seems that for Iran to join the organization would thus hurt its current balanced foreign policy approach. Of note, on the bilateral level, Iran’s relations with both Russia and China have in various aspects been developing like before. Hence, the idea that SCO accession could offer anything further to Iran is a hard sell.

Another important point is that within the SCO itself, the leadership rivalry between Moscow and Beijing — and their differing views on whether to prioritize security or economic concerns on the organization’s grand agenda — has thus far prevented the organization from being fully functional in practice. Furthermore, the decision on the accession of India and Pakistan has already been finalized. Given the constantly strained relations between the two South Asian neighbors, this move could create even more rivalries within the organization and eliminate its geostrategic importance altogether. This is another key factor that should induce Iran to think twice about joining.

The present Iranian government appears well aware of these considerations. Indeed, since the beginning of the presidency of Hassan Rouhani in August 2013, previous insistence on the need to join the SCO has ceased. If anything, the level of Iran’s participation at the recent SCO summit in Uzbekistan is a good indication of this step back. Unlike the Ahmadinejad era, during which the president would attend almost every annual SCO summit, Iran now sends its foreign minister.

Thus, it could be argued that accession to the SCO presents no particular security, economic or strategic advantages to Iran. As such, if Tehran is eager to participate in multilateral cooperation in Asia, it is better to pursue such an objective through focus on engagement with other economic initiatives, such asRussia's Eurasian Economic Union and China's One Belt, One Road. At least in the case of the former, the Russian president has already declared that he welcomes Iran’s participation