Iran As A Full SCO Member: The Raisi Government’s New Turn to the East?

NEW DELHI: Ali Ahmadi, Geo-political and geo-economic analyst speaks to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi in this comprehensive chat from Tehran. On President Ebrahim Raisi taking part in-person at the SCO Summit, he says, “the idea that China is going to now accept Iran into an Asian security agreement, that’s not something I would have said was likely a month ago. But, it does seem to be happening. The President is himself going for this meeting and it seems unlikely that he would have done that unless he’s been given some promises from both Russia and China that their bid will be accepted this time around.” Ahmadi also analyses Iran’s “strategic ambivalence” to the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the IRGC set-up Fatemiyoun division of Afghan refugees, trade and water issues, relations with India in the shadow of U.S. sanctions and the scenarios if the JCPOA is restored or isn’t, Chabahar, China being “more inclined to try to challenge U.S. sanctions”, the Iranian economy and why Tehran wants to be a full Shanghai Cooperation Agreement member.