Newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visits the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran, Iran on July 6, 2024. Pezeshkian addressed the public after his visit. Photo: VCG

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit China next month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, according to Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Mehr News Agency reported. 

Araghchi had announced the president's visit to China in the near future when he was in Beijing on April 23 in the midst of indirect talks between Tehran and the Washington, said the report.  

The SCO Tianjin summit will be held from August 31 to September 1, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Tianjin during a joint press briefing with SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev in July, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Heads of state from all SCO member countries typically attend the summit. The Iranian president's visit is a routine diplomatic activity, and his participation in this regional forum is both natural and significant, Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times. 

The decision to admit Iran as a full member of the organization was announced at the 21st meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in September 2021. In November 2022, Iran's parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill on the country's membership, according to Xinhua.

While reporting President Pezeshkian's plan to visit China, the WANA news agency also noted that the Iranian leader "has recently intensified diplomatic outreach across the region." It also noted that Pezeshkian's foreign policy moves align with recent remarks in which he emphasized "Our foreign policy priority must first be strengthening relations with neighboring countries, followed by expanding ties with strategic partners like Russia and China."

Iran prioritizes relations with its neighbors, while China also values neighborhood diplomacy. Pursuing a "Look East" policy, Iran has sought closer cooperation with China and Russia, especially amid tense relations with some countries, Zhu said, noting that China also has long maintained a fair stance on international affairs and support on Iran's core interests. 

At a press conference on July 31, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that leaders of over 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations will gather together for the Tianjin summit. "This will be the largest summit since the establishment of the SCO, and the culmination of China's work as the SCO chair," the spokesperson said.

Zhu said that amid growing geopolitical turbulence, the Tianjin SCO summit serves as a vital platform for dialogue and coordination, with increasing strategic significance. 

Facing tariff disputes, regional flashpoints, internal conflicts, and economic uncertainty, member states urgently need to build consensus on security and development to drive shared growth. Under such environment, the SCO's role is ever more vital, said the expert.