Gharib Abadi: Unilateral sanctions, transfer of convicts, and extradition of criminals to be addressed at shanghai summit

According to the Judiciary’s Media Center, Kazem Gharib Abadi, Deputy Minister of Legal and International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “The visit of Iran’s judicial delegation to China is highly significant due to the participation of the heads of judicial systems of all Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states.”

Referring to the meetings of the Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran with several counterparts, Gharib Abadi noted: “This summit will focus on two main agendas: deepening and expanding cooperation among SCO member states and combating terrorism, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will follow up on in the future.”

He continued: “Some countries suffer from the phenomenon of terrorism, making joint efforts to combat it crucial. The Chief Justice will present proposals at this summit, which will form the basis for the country’s subsequent actions in this regard.”

Gharib Abadi added: “Another key issue on the summit’s agenda is addressing legal matters related to unilateral sanctions. Some countries attending the summit are subject to unjust and illegal unilateral sanctions. The judicial systems of these countries play a significant role in pursuing legal and judicial measures to hold sanction-imposing countries accountable. This issue is also on the agenda of Iran’s judicial delegation, which will address it in a more coordinated and multilateral manner.”

The Deputy Minister further stated: “Another important matter to be pursued at the summit is expediting the transfer of convicts and the extradition of criminals. At the very least, SCO member states should cooperate effectively to address fugitive criminals entering their territories. This issue will be followed up during the summit and in the Chief Justice’s meetings.”

He noted: “One of the proposals the Chief Justice of Iran will raise at the summit is addressing commercial disputes by establishing mechanisms for dispute resolution. Traders, companies, and the private sector of SCO member states have close interactions, which may encounter challenges. The judicial system can facilitate commercial relations by establishing specialized courts or branches.”

Gharib Abadi highlighted that Iran’s judiciary has previously established such mechanisms with countries like Iraq, benefiting the people and companies of both nations.

He added: “A key point here is multilateralism. We do not define multilateralism solely in the political sphere. Accordingly, in both the SCO and BRICS frameworks, the Islamic Republic of Iran places significant emphasis on creating and developing legal and judicial cooperation among countries, and Iran is at the forefront of these efforts.”