The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has launched a five-day joint anti-terrorism exercise codenamed Sahand-2025 in Iran’s northwest province of East Azarbaijan under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Commander of the drills Brigadier General Vali Ma’dani announced the official launch of the exercise at a press conference on Tuesday saying it aims to strengthen coordination among SCO members in combating terrorism.
“SCO member states Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Kazakhstan, Iran, India and Belarus are participating in the drills,” said the IRGC Commander.
“Representative of neighbouring countries Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq are participating as guest observers,” he added.
He said Sahand-2025 was planned under instructions by General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
In 2023, Iran became a full member of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization which is a Eurasian body of 10 member states. As a regional organisation, it fosters political, economic, international security and counter-terrorism cooperation.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that hosting the Sahand-2025 anti-terror exercise is “an act of coalition-building in line with the new architecture of regional security”.
He said the exercise reflects Tehran’s efforts to contribute to a new regional security framework while Iran’s long experience in combating terrorism can help harmonise practices among SCO member states.
“Iran has gained valuable experience in confronting all forms of terrorism, and the drills provide a platform for transferring and harmonizing experiences among the SCO member states,” the Iranian diplomat said.
Iran has used its membership in international and regional organisations to increase trade and security cooperation as well as to gain support for its civilian nuclear program.
Last November, prime ministers of SCO in a joint statement issued in Moscow backed Iran’s right of peaceful nuclear energy and rejected the western pressure on Tehran to freeze its enrichment capability.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developm...
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American b...
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that ...
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico takin...
Da Afghanistan Bank, the country's central bank, has discussed expanding banking and trade relations with the Afghanistan–U.S. Joint Chamber of Com...
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that fail to protect young users. The proposals form part of a broader global trend towards tighter regulation of online platforms.
Tbilisi and Brussels have offered sharply different interpretations of a key meeting on Georgia's visa-free travel arrangements, highlighting the growing divide between the two sides.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Armenia’s parliamentary election has strengthened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s mandate, with analysts linking the result to his post-Garabagh agenda and pro-Western direction. However, constitutional constraints remain a key obstacle to peace efforts with Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that fail to protect young users. The proposals form part of a broader global trend towards tighter regulation of online platforms.
Da Afghanistan Bank, the country's central bank, has discussed expanding banking and trade relations with the Afghanistan–U.S. Joint Chamber of Commerce as the country seeks to strengthen financial services for traders and support private sector growth.
Tbilisi and Brussels have offered sharply different interpretations of a key meeting on Georgia's visa-free travel arrangements, highlighting the growing divide between the two sides.
The Pakistani city of Karachi is struggling under severe heat and humidity as the country enters a prolonged heatwave period. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of above-normal temperatures across much of the country between 7 and 12 June.
Türkiye’s president-designate for this autumn’s UN climate conference on Tuesday signed the COP31 host country agreement during a gathering in Bonn, Germany.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment