Iran's president: ECO Summit in Khankendi showcased member states’ commitment to deeper cooperation

The ECO summit held in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, in July, was a clear demonstration of the member states’ determination to deepen regional cooperation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, addressing the 4th Meeting of the Interior Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states.

President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at the 4th meeting of the Ministers of Interior of the ECO member states, emphasised the need to establish and implement a unified, sustainable, internally balanced, and development-oriented regional security system through the collective efforts of the member countries, Tasnim reports.

He said the organisation is the heir to decades of joint efforts, cooperation, and perseverance by its members aimed at achieving economic integration.

The success of regional economic cooperation requires strong, predictable, stable, and sustainable common frameworks and foundations — the creation and strengthening of which is a unique task for the interior ministries, the president noted.

Pezeshkian stated that holding this meeting after a long hiatus demonstrates the renewed commitment of the member states to strengthening cooperation and coordination in key areas of mutual relations.

He said the interior ministries are among the most important institutions that, in addition to fulfilling their direct functions, are responsible for ensuring the fundamental conditions for economic development — security and public order. Their role in multilateral and regional economic cooperation is highly significant.

The president stressed that the success of regional economic cooperation is impossible without strong, stable, and predictable foundations. The ministries of internal affairs play an exceptional role in building these foundations — including through border cooperation, joint efforts to combat illegal migration, human trafficking, drug trafficking, various forms of terrorism, and other types of organised crime.

Pezeshkian noted that the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is the result of decades of joint efforts and collaboration aimed at economic integration. The organisation has already achieved significant success; however, its untapped potential remains vast. Fortunately, the determination of member states to further deepen cooperation is clearly evident.

According to Pezeshkian, the recent ECO summit in Khankendi was a clear demonstration of this commitment, as it put forward concrete and realistic proposals at the highest level. At present, the “ECO Strategy 2035” is being developed, which promises a bright future for the region and its peoples.

“The ECO, as a bridge connecting the peoples of the region, serves as a valuable platform for dialogue, experience sharing, and cooperation in all areas. In a world where challenges and opportunities are rapidly evolving, regional cooperation is not a choice but an inevitable necessity,” Pezeshkian emphasised.

The Iranian president also pointed out that one of the unfulfilled ECO initiatives remains the establishment of a joint police structure — “Ecopol” — the formation of which has not yet been completed. The ECO region is one of the few in the world without a common police body, which not only creates internal vulnerabilities but also hampers effective cooperation with other regional police structures and Interpol.

By Khagan Isayev