Reaching an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program will make it possible to start the procedure for the lifting of sanctions and therefore will open opportunities for the commencement of the admission of Iran into the SCO. This was stated by the President of the Russian Federation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Bakhtiyor Khakimov.
According to him, Iran has been participating as an observer of the SCO since 2005. An application for membership was filed in 2008. "The principled position of the Member States on the Iranian proposal is positive. But there is a formality. Among the criteria approved by the heads of state there is a need for a lifting of the sanctions imposed by the Security Council of the UN," Khakimov explained, adding that the SCO hopes for a constructive resolution of the negotiations with the ‘’six "international mediators and Tehran on its nuclear program, then the accession of Iran to the organization can be initiated.
However, according to a senior researcher of the Center for the Study of the Middle East Institute of Oriental Studies, Vladimir Sazhin, the process of lifting the sanctions will be extended. "The Iranians have already realized that the simultaneous lifting of the sanctions immediately after the signing of a future treaty is impossible. And Iran's Deputy Oil Minister, Mr. Zamani-Nia said recently that he expects the lifting of sanctions in the period from 22 November to 21 December this year. That is, there is a backlog of sanctions," Vladimir Sazhin said.
Nevertheless, the expert believes that this process can begin immediately after the signing of the agreement: "We need to start de facto, and then customize it de jure. It is necessary to develop appropriate documents, decisions on this matter. I think that's how it happens. But in any case, the Iranian delegation has the opinion that the process of lifting the sanctions can be stretched out."
Regarding the timing of production of the full contract, Vladimir Sazhin thinks that the key to solving the problem is not deadlines, but the quality of the document. "June 30 is the last day, so it seems, so there is not that much time left. But you know, I personally was always an opponent of specific deadlines, an enemy of doing great things by a certain date. I just remember the Soviet period, when houses, dams and other facilities were built to mark November 7. And then within a year and a half or even two years, they were repaired, restored and administered, although the Red Flag was waving, and the facility had been officially adopted. I think that the main thing in this situation, the main thing to solve this problem, the main thing in the contract is the quality of the document, rather than time. If, for example, it will not be entirely concluded on June 30 or July 30 or August 30, it will not change anything for Iran and its opponents. Of course, there will be propaganda statements by opponents of Rouhani in Iran and by opponents of President Obama in the United States. But you see, this is all propaganda tinsel and the most important thing is the quality of the document," the Orientalist believes.
