TEHRAN- Ghadir Ghiyafeh, the Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Business Forum in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, emphasized the need to strengthen economic cooperation among member states and declared that despite the recent aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran, the resistance and resilience of the Iranian nation has strengthened the country's determination to develop regional cooperation and economic integration more than ever before.

He described participation in this meeting as an opportunity for direct dialogue among the private sectors of member states and stated: The Iranian delegation, in memory of the 168 students who lost their lives on the first day of the recent attacks in the city of Minab, has chosen the name "Minab 168" for its delegation so that the memory of these children will forever remain alive in the collective memory of the Iranian nation.

Referring to the growing position of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the global economic order, he added: This organization stands at a historic turning point, and the collective member states have the capacity to go beyond the framework of merely regional cooperation and become one of the most influential and stable economic poles in the world.

Ghiyafeh, referring to recent geopolitical developments, said: Despite the pressures and the recent aggressive war by the United States and Israel against Iran, the exemplary resistance of the Iranian people has not weakened the national will but has strengthened it. These circumstances have caused Iran to seek deepening economic cooperation and strengthening regional ties with doubled motivation.

The Vice President of the Iran Chamber further emphasized the need for transformation in economic cooperation patterns among SCO member states and stated: The future of economic cooperation in the region must go beyond the framework of traditional trade and move toward more advanced models such as joint investments, technology transfer, and the formation of integrated regional value chains.

According to him, Iran, as a vital crossroads connecting East and West, enjoys a privileged position to facilitate these connections, and this capacity can serve the development of economic cooperation among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Ghayfeh also announced: The Iran Chamber of Commerce, as the representative of the country's private sector, is fully committed to this vision and is ready, in close interaction with chambers of commerce, development institutions, investment agencies, and economic actors of member states, to define joint projects and, by reducing operational risks and removing trade barriers, create new grounds for economic cooperation in the region.

He emphasized in conclusion: The future of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be shaped not on short-term rivalries but on the basis of long-term common interests and sustainable partnerships, and Iran is ready to play a role as a reliable and committed partner along this path and to take steps alongside other members to build a prosperous future for the region.

Iran and Kyrgyzstan chambers of commerce discussed trade issues 

Ghadir Ghiyafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, and Temir Sariev, Head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan, met and held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Business Council meeting at the Kyrgyzstan Chamber of Commerce in Bishkek.

The Vice President of the Iran Chamber, referring to the historical and cultural ties of the two countries along the Silk Road, emphasized the importance of the private sector's role in strengthening cooperation within this economic bloc and stated: Given the strong infrastructure and existing capacities within the framework of the Shanghai, Eurasian, and ECO treaties, we can implement joint economic projects. There is also potential to increase the volume of trade between the two countries from the current figure (about $100 million) to $2–2.5 billion in the future.

During this meeting, both sides emphasized the development of economic relations, the use of the capacities of the Shanghai Treaty, and the establishment of a joint investment fund.

Temir Sariev, Head of the Chamber of Commerce of Kyrgyzstan and former Prime Minister of the country, while offering condolences and sympathy for the martyrdom of a number of Iranian figures and people in the recent imposed war, praised the unparalleled resistance of the Iranian people against recent pressures and long-term sanctions. He described Iran's geopolitical position in the region as very powerful and commendable and said: The reconstruction and revival of economic relations will certainly begin rapidly in Iran.

Sariev also announced the readiness of Kyrgyz businessmen to actively participate in the Iranian market and added: Connecting China's railway lines to northeastern Iran will make transit routes much shorter and smoother.

In the final part of this meeting, the focus of the talks was on operational and executive solutions. The Iranian delegation, emphasizing the need to adopt a market-oriented approach, proposed the formation of more serious cooperation in the field of technical and engineering projects. In this regard, it was decided that capable and up-to-date companies would participate in joint projects to ensure mutual benefits for both countries.

Also, to accelerate the trade development process, the following specific proposals were put forward:

· Defining a commodity basket: Identifying and introducing a basket of goods in which the two countries have comparative export and import advantages.

· Forming a joint working group: Establishing a specialized working group between the chambers of commerce of Iran and Kyrgyzstan for continuous and precise exchange of market information.

· Training and market introduction: Holding joint online courses to introduce the capacities and market needs of the two countries to traders and economic actors.

· Creating a business council: Establishing a joint business council and planning for face-to-face business-to-business (B2B) meetings between economic actors of the two countries.

Finally, one of the most important axes raised in these talks was the proposal to establish and activate a joint investment and cooperation fund among the 10 member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—an initiative that can serve as a strong financial backing for implementing infrastructure projects and developing multilateral cooperation within this economic bloc.

MA