TEHRAN – The majority of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have begun their role in ongoing joint military drills scheduled to wrap up on December 5 in northwestern Iran.

The commander of the maneuvers and representative of the exercises' executive committee, general Vali Ma’dani, broke the news during a press conference held on Tuesday.

“Most SCO member countries have dispatched their troops to join the special forces taking part in the drills. Some countries have also sent their representatives to join the Joint Chiefs of Staff for operations during the drills,” the commander explained.

A summary of the first phase of the “Joint Counter-Terrorism Drills Sahand-2025” will be presented on December 4, general Ma’dani added.

According an IRGC commander, the exercises are of utmost significance.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been the focal point of war on terror and terrorist groups, and upwards of 17,000 of our fellow countrymen, namely women and children, have been killed by terrorists,” said the commander on Monday, highlighting the significance of fighting terrorism.

Also on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf emphasized that the large-scale joint counter-terrorism maneuvers carry an important message for hegemonic powers. "The drills show serious willpower among independent states to defend themselves against tyrannical approaches across the world," Qalibaf said.

He further noted that "the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defense cooperation and joint measures with other countries are constantly growing."

The exercises, hosted by the Ground Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), are being held in the northwestern Iranian Province of East Azarbaijan. They follow the SCO's first joint counter-terrorism live exercise, "Interaction-2024," held in China in July 2024.

The SCO, established in 2001, is the largest regional organization by geographic area and population. Iran officially became a full member in 2023, enhancing the organization's focus on regional security, economic projects, and cultural exchange among its eight member states.