TEHRAN – Member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have acceded to the accession of Iran to the bloc’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) during its 49th ministerial meeting.

Iran had submitted its formal accession request to its parliament three years ago, motivated by political and economic goals.

President Rouhani has been a supporter of closer ties with ASEAN countries. “Expansion of political and economic ties with ASEAN is a goal of Iran’s foreign policy,” Rouhani had said, according to IRNA. 

TAC underpins the 10-member panel and commits signatories to the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in domestic affairs.

In addition to Iran, the league agreed to the accession of Chile, Egypt, Iran, and Morocco to the TAC, as well.

President Rouhani has said “expansion of political and economic ties with ASEAN is a goal of Iran’s foreign policy.”Contained in the TAC document signed in 1976 are mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations, adaptation of a non-interference policy, peaceful settlement of disputes through peaceful tools, renunciation of the threat or use of force, and effective cooperation among member states.
The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 49) commenced in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on July 24 under the chair of Laos, the rotary chair of ASEAN this year.
The bloc was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding father of the body, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Now, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are member states of the Asian league.

AK/PA