President Raisi had a three-day trip to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to attend the 22nd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) where Iran’s permanent membership to the regional entity was officially announced.
Raisi told reporters and the airport pavillion that the trip to Uzbekistan and his one-on-one meeting with the Uzbek President was especially important because it was the first high-profile meeting between the two countries in 20 years.
The trip reinforced the relationship which was slowed down for two decades, Raisi noted, adding that Tehran-Tashkent relationship was more than anything a civilizational and cultural one.
He said that Uzbekistan welcomed working with Iran, as the two presidents discussed trade, economic, infrastructure, transit, and energy-related issues.
Raisi also said that he had over 10 meetings with heads of SCO member states and discussed economic ties.
The President noted that he had elaborated on Iran’s capacities and the increasing of activities in Iranian ports in the southern and northern coastlines in his speech at the SCO summit.
He also mentioned that Iran’s permanent membership status in the SCO which was accepted last year was officially announced in this edition of the SCO summit, calling on Iranian businesses to seize the opportunity and increase their activities.
The President promised a bight future for Iranian products in the markets in neighboring countries as well in the broader region and Asia.
Raisi said that the countries in the region were eager for Iranian products despite the sanctions.
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