Mohammadreza Aref made the remarks Tuesday, Oct. 20, at a meeting of SCO member states’ prime ministers in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, according to fvpresident.ir.

Aref said member states should strengthen their economic capabilities within the organization, adding that Iran was presenting a series of practical proposals to improve the resilience and effectiveness of SCO cooperation in trade, economics, finance, transit, energy, digital technologies, culture and humanitarian affairs.

In the energy sector, he called for moving beyond dialogue toward deeper cooperation and the establishment of an SCO energy consortium.

The proposed consortium should extend beyond oil and gas trade to cover production, transmission, distribution, infrastructure security, financing, energy exchanges, technology and new energy sources, Aref said.

He added that effective implementation of the organization’s energy cooperation strategy through 2030 would serve the interests of member states and should be supported by joint projects.

Energy security must also remain a priority throughout the energy transition, he said.

Aref said Iran was prepared to share its scientific and technological capabilities with SCO members and cooperate in establishing joint knowledge-based companies, particularly in advanced technologies, improving industrial efficiency and decarbonizing the oil and gas sectors.

 Iran backs proposed South Pars-Afghanistan-Tajikistan energy corridor

During a separate meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Aref said Iran was ready to cooperate with Tajikistan in oil and gas exploration, petrochemicals and exports of petroleum and gas products.

He welcomed Rahmon’s proposal to establish a South Pars-Afghanistan-Tajikistan energy corridor, describing it as a positive and constructive initiative that had been presented to the Iranian president.

The discussions also emphasized Iranian petroleum product exports to Tajikistan and Iran’s support for connecting the landlocked country to international waters through the Persian Gulf.

The proposals reflect Tehran’s stated interest in expanding regional energy cooperation, developing cross-border infrastructure and strengthening technological partnerships with SCO members.