Iranian president proposes ‘CIS+1’ cooperation format

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the CIS summit
Photo: aa.com.tr

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed a CIS+1 cooperation format to boost cooperation between Iran and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

"The format ‘CIS member states + Iran’, or ‘CIS+1,' format should be established as a flexible and effective mechanism for dialogue and cooperation," Pezeshkian said at the CIS summit in the Avaza tourist zone of Turkmenistan.

He called on the nations of "this important and strategic region" to play a key role in shaping a multipolar world, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Regional diplomacy must go beyond meetings to manage crises, maintain communication, prevent conflict escalation and promote practical cooperation, he said.

Tehran seeks "connectivity rather than division, cooperation rather than destructive competition, interdependence rather than one-sided dependence, and security based on trust and shared interests rather than threats," he added.

'CIS + Iran': A new cooperation framework

Pezeshkian proposed the establishment of a "CIS + Iran" (CIS+1) format as "a flexible and effective mechanism for dialogue and cooperation" aimed at expanding joint efforts in transit, energy, trade, mining, investment, technology, water resources, the environment, tourism, and scientific and cultural exchanges.

He also called for an integrated network for energy production, transmission, and exchange among regional countries, as well as financial and barter mechanisms to facilitate trade — "mechanisms that can sustain economic cooperation in the face of external disruptions and restrictions."

He noted that Iran has been targeted twice in the past year by US and Israeli military attacks, which he said "not only harmed the people and civilian infrastructure of my country, but also affected many in the region and the world."

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's commitment to dialogue and diplomatic solutions, but added a condition: "Dialogue can only be meaningful when it is based on mutual respect, reciprocal commitments, and the abandonment of threats. Negotiation under the shadow of force is not negotiation; it is imposition and coercion."

Pezeshkian thanked Turkmenistan for hosting the summit and for inviting Iran as a special guest, describing the invitation as "a valuable opportunity to strengthen existing ties and open a new chapter of cooperation with the countries of this grouping."

He noted that the timing of the summit alongside the Caspian Sea environmental summit provided "a suitable ground for simultaneous attention to geographical ties, shared interests, shared concerns, and the cooperation capacities of Iran with the Caspian littoral states and Central Asia."

He expressed hope that the summit "can be a practical step toward a region in which Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Iran are not a collection of separate spaces, but part of a single network of cooperation, security, and development."

"Our geographical compulsion has bound us together," he said. "But it is our political will that can transform this bond into a shared asset for peace, security, and development."

The CIS is a regional intergovernmental organization formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, comprising Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan participating as an associate member.

Pezeshkian was invited to the summit as a special guest.

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