Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday issued an order implementing the law on Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The directive was issued in a letter signed by Raisi to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, according to the website of the Iranian president's office.

Last week, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf submitted the law for Iran's SCO membership to Raisi for final approval and implementation.

The move followed the Iranian Constitutional Council spokesman's announcement that the vetting body had approved the bill on the country's membership in the SCO.

In November 2022, the Iranian parliament approved the bill for Iran's SCO membership by the overwhelming majority of the lawmakers.

In September 2021, the 21st summit of the SCO leaders held in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe declared the decision to start admitting Iran as a full member of the SCO.

The SCO was established in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and was joined by India and Pakistan in 2017.

(Cover photo: Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi prepares for a group picture as part of the 22nd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State at the Samarkand Tourist Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, September 16, 2022. /CFP)