TEHRAN – The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have expressed deep concern over US-Israeli cyberattacks that targeted information, communication, and technology (ICT) infrastructures in Iran.

The officials considered these measures to be in contrast to the principles of international law and the UN Charter, highlighting the need to respect the sovereignty of countries in cyberspace and refrain from using force against other nations, Mehr news agency reported. 

They made the remarks in the final statement of the Fifth Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Agencies of the SCO Member States Responsible for the Development of Information and Communication Technologies, held on April 27, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Digital Development and Innovation Technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic.

An Iranian delegation led by Ehsan Cheetsaz, the deputy minister for ICT, attended the event. On the sidelines of the meeting, Cheetsaz held meetings with officials from China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. The meetings primarily focused on promoting bilateral and multilateral collaborations in modern technologies, enhancing digital infrastructure resilience, strengthening national sovereignty in cyberspace, and fostering ties in AI and data centers. 

At the 5th meeting in Bishkek, participants discussed topics of cooperation in the field of digital transformation, the implementation of ICT and AI in public administration, and key sectors of the economy.

The security of ICT infrastructures, the expansion of artificial intelligence, and the future of a data-driven economy were put on the agenda.

The idea of creating a regional data processing center, and boosting cooperation capacities was also adopted.

The active participation of the Iranian delegation in negotiations and joint initiatives demonstrates the country’s role in the expansion of regional cooperation in the ICT sector, which aims to strengthen technological interactions and improve the country’s position in the regional digital economy. 

In June 2025, following Israel’s aggression against Iran, Cheetsaz, said Israeli cyberattacks that target critical infrastructures in Iran aim to destabilize sovereign states. 

“The hybrid attacks represent a perilous convergence of modern warfare tools. This aggression highlights that digital evolution without digital security is an illusion,” Mehr news agency quoted the official as saying.

The SCO has ten member states with a combined territory of about 36 million square kilometres and a population of over 3.4 billion. It represents about 25 percent of global GDP and over 15 percent of international trade. 

The SCO countries are developing long-term relations of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation in the spheres of mutual interest based on the universally recognised principles and norms of international law.

Today, the 10 member states of SCO comprise the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.