Iran Joins Rapidly Expanding Eurasian Bloc Led by Moscow, Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) gestures while speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16, 2022. Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Iran has become a full-fledged member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a formidable bloc of Eurasian states that’s led by Moscow and Beijing.

Tehran’s accession to the SCO was formalized at a July 4 virtual summit hosted by SCO member India, which currently holds the organization’s rotating presidency.