TEHRAN — First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has ordered the formation of five specialized committees, covering cultural, tourism, diplomatic, economic, and political affairs, to coordinate preparations for hosting the upcoming summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Tehran at the highest possible level.

Aref issued the directive on Saturday, October 31, during a meeting on preparations for the summit, emphasizing that the gathering should serve as an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and restore the ECO to its appropriate position among regional organizations.

He said expanding engagement and relations with neighboring and regional countries was a key strategy of the administration, particularly President Masoud Pezeshkian, adding that Iran had made considerable progress in this regard.

According to Aref, Iran's growing engagement with regional countries reflects both the president's approach to foreign relations and the performance of government institutions, as well as the readiness of regional nations to expand cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

Referring to Iran's participation in regional organizations and economic groupings, the first vice president said the country had established an active and effective presence in institutions such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

He noted that Iran's position within these organizations had improved considerably compared with previous years, with more substantive engagement and cooperation taking shape among member states.

Aref also stressed the importance of hosting the ECO summit in Tehran, saying Iran's experience in organizing regional and international gatherings had demonstrated that the country achieved significant diplomatic successes when serving as host. Officials from participating countries, he added, had generally left such meetings with a positive impression of Iran, with the benefits of the country's hosting efforts continuing to be reflected in subsequent regional gatherings.

ECO summit an opportunity to revive regional cooperation

Addressing the organization's performance, Aref expressed concern that the ECO, initially established through the cooperation of Iran, Pakistan and Türkiye, had not fulfilled its regional potential despite expanding to 10 member states.

He said leaders of member countries also emphasized the need to broaden the organization's activities and strengthen cooperation so that the ECO could regain its appropriate standing in the region.

The first vice president pointed to the growing bilateral relations among ECO members and their cooperation through other regional organizations, saying these developments had created favorable conditions for deeper collaboration within the ECO framework.

He emphasized that the member countries share extensive historical, cultural, and civilizational ties with Iran, providing a strong foundation for expanding regional partnerships.

Aref described the upcoming summit as an important opportunity to make up for shortcomings in the organization's performance over the past four decades and establish a clearer vision for its future.

He also noted that regional conditions had become more conducive to cooperation, with countries in Central Asia, the Caucasus and regions east of Iran showing greater readiness to expand relations with Tehran.

Five committees to coordinate summit preparations

Emphasizing the need for comprehensive and well-coordinated preparations, Aref said the summit's agenda and organizational arrangements should be developed according to clearly defined priorities.

He identified tourism, science and technology, cybersecurity and trade as important areas of cooperation among ECO member states, calling for particular attention to these sectors in the summit's planning and agenda.

The first vice president stressed that the gathering should go beyond a formal diplomatic event and provide a practical framework for upgrading relations and strengthening regional cooperation among member countries.

Following the presentations, Aref ordered the establishment of five specialized committees on cultural, tourism, diplomatic, economic and political affairs, each to be chaired by the relevant minister, to oversee and coordinate the necessary preparations.

The Economic Cooperation Organization is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Türkiye, succeeding the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) framework founded in 1964.

Its membership subsequently expanded to 10 countries with the accession of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in 1992.

The organization seeks to promote sustainable economic development, facilitate trade by gradually removing barriers, strengthen transport and communications networks, and advance cooperation in human resource development among its member states. Its headquarters are in Tehran, and English is its official language.

The ECO brings together Iran, Pakistan, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.