Iran’s top security official says the country’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be finalized as political obstacles have been removed.  

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said in a post on his official Twitter page on Wednesday that he had discussed the developments in Afghanistan, Syria and the Persian Gulf with his Russian counterpart, adding that Iran’s membership to the SCO was also examined in his meeting with Head of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev.

“Fortunately, the political obstacles to #Iran's membership in the #ShanghaiCO have been removed & Iran's membership will be finalized,” he added.