Dos and Don’ts of Membership of Iran in SHANGHAi

If we consider Islamic Republic of Iran’s membership in Shanghai Organization as a positive matter, we will have to realistically analyze this membership form aspects of capacities, strengths and restrictions it might bring us. Indeed Islamic Republic of Iran has two options:

First, to continue membership as an observer and be semi-active with the purpose of getting to know the decisions of the organization and co-operating in the issues which might be in line with Iran’s national benefits.

Second, to get complete membership and become an active member with the purpose of improving its regional and international position.

The advantage of the first option is that Iran as an observing member can affect the decisions of the organization and probably benefit from position takings of the organization without any commitment to decisions or participating in some position takings.

Regarding the second option, though membership can provide Iran with a new opportunity for economic and political activities and increase Iran’s role in regional and international levels as the role of the organization improves, it will oblige Iran to accept the decisions and positions taken by the organization. At the moment there are still doubts about the purposes and long-term position of the organization and there have been no definitions for concepts such as religious extremism. In the past ten years, the organization has moved mostly according to Russia and China’s benefits as they have great roles in the organization. Probably the Chinese have a long-term look at the organization.

From the two mentioned scenarios, if the first one takes place, Iran will not make much effort for complete membership and its participation at present level will be enough. But if the organization moves towards the second scenario, Iran’s membership can improve the organization’s regional and international role as well as bringing certain commitments for Iran.

Iran’s membership will have justification if the organization moves towards becoming completely an economic one. Participating in the organization heads meeting, Islamic Republic of Iran can use the opportunity to lobby with other members on bilateral relationships reduce the political pressure and propagandas against Iran. Shanghai co-operations organization has set and followed its goals in different levels and at each stage has granted admission to new members according to new goals. The organization was formed with the purpose of building trust between Russia, China and three other central Asian countries that have borders with each other and as subjects such as terrorism and religious extremism were brought up in the next level, fighting these problems became a priority and Uzbekistan was accepted member as it was exposed to danger of extremism.

 At the moment that Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India are the four observer members, the goals of the organization which were mainly focused on central Asia, are extended to another level and are pursuing the goal of having a tensionless region and probably without the presence of American troops  in the middle-east and western Asia. With the present conditions it seems to be too early to talk about a completely economic one due to existing economic imbalance between the members or a political-security organization due to membership of India and Pakistan.

In a general look at the organization, what should be important for Iran is to use it in order to settle stability in its security region as it is shared with some other members.

The importance of this issue will be clearer noting that first according to its macro strategy bill, Iran is to achieve a special scientific, economic and technological position in south-west Asia and secondly, Iran’s security region is at the moment unstable as it is connected to Iraq and middle-east from one side and Afghanistan, Pakistan and central Asia from the other side –undoubtedly located in one of the world’s most dangerous regions. Developing at a fast pace and accomplishing the items of strategy bill in such a region is quite difficult and this highlights the importance of stability and making efforts to sustain stability.