Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for greater cooperation among countries to strengthen regional security, arguing that lasting stability cannot be achieved through confrontation.

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Pezeshkian said regional security depends on abandoning force-based approaches and strengthening cooperation between states, according to Iran International.

“Sustainable security is achieved not through confrontation, but through mutual trust, respect for national sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs and cooperation between governments,” Pezeshkian said.

The Iranian president argued that the SCO should address economic and security issues simultaneously to play a more effective role in shaping a multipolar world.

Pezeshkian also put forward several proposals aimed at expanding the organization’s economic role.

Among them were the creation of an SCO Bank, a joint export and investment insurance mechanism, and an energy consortium.

The Iranian president said that such initiatives could strengthen economic ties among SCO members and increase the organization’s influence in the global economy.