Iran seeks sanctions-busting alliance at meeting with China and Russia

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets Russian counterpart at Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Tianjin. EPA

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has proposed setting up an international organisation to study ways to counteract sanctions after meeting Russian and Chinese ministers at a Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit on Tuesday.

Iran's economy is struggling under the weight of western sanctions imposed over Tehran's nuclear programme, which has been a source of friction for decades.

Iran relies heavily on economic links with Beijing and Moscow, and is part of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members also include China, Russia, India and Pakistan. Tianjin, in northern China, is hosting the organisation's 25th foreign ministers meeting.

Mr Araghchi said in a post on Telegram that the SCO should establish a “Centre for Studies and Counteraction to Unilateral Sanctions” to develop strategies to counter “illegal economic sanctions” and protect supply chains, banking systems and the trade exchanges of its member states.

He also sought support for Iran following its 12-day aerial war with Israel last month. Israel and the US launched air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities which they said were part of a nuclear programme geared towards weaponisation. Tehran denies having any such plans.

Mr Araghchi said the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation should also “establish a permanent mechanism to monitor, document and co-ordinate responses to military aggression, acts of sabotage, state terrorism and violations of national sovereignty”.

“The SCO is gradually opening up its place in the global arena, meaning it is gradually going beyond the regional arena, and it has many different issues on its agenda, including in the economic, political and security fields,” he added.

He said he would be holding bilateral meetings with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the event. Iranian state news agency Irna said Mr Araghchi also met Chinese President Xi Jinping and would hold talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Mr Lavrov confirmed the meeting with Mr Araghchi had taken place and said they had discussed how to reach a peaceful solution to the Israeli conflict.

Since the reimposition of American sanctions on Iran during Donald Trump’s first term as US president, Tehran has deepened ties with Moscow through a 20-year strategic pact, as well as with Beijing, which buys as much as 90 per cent of Iranian oil exports.

Mr Araghchi's visit to China is his first since the 12-day war with Israel, during which Beijing adopted a posture of non-interference in the conflict.