Creating a shared legal framework among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members

The Hangzhou Summit, marked by the prominent presence of the Iranian judicial delegation led by Mohseni Ejei, head of Iran's judiciary, has sent a clear message to proponents of the unbalanced and distorted legal structure prevalent in the Western world.

Undoubtedly, every summit or meeting in the international system carries a specific message that must be understood, and this principle applies to the recent summit in China as well.

The primary message of the Hangzhou Summit is the "preservation of the legal sovereignty of SCO member states" and their determination to establish a legal framework aimed at preventing misinterpretation and interventionist, restrictive, and negative legal approaches by the United States and its allies in today’s world.

While numerous meetings between Iran’s judiciary chief and the highest judicial authorities of countries such as India, Turkey, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and others have resulted in agreements in legal domains to strengthen bilateral and multilateral judicial cooperation (particularly in addressing common threats and creating new opportunities), what distinguishes the Hangzhou Summit from previous similar gatherings is the collective resolve of member states to safeguard their legal sovereignty.

This legal sovereignty has been violated for years by the United States and other Western countries, to the extent that it has unfortunately influenced the behavior and approach of international organizations toward the West’s undeniable crimes, leading to the creation of double standards and paradoxical legal frameworks in the post-World War II world.

One of the main reasons for the West’s deep concern about the formation of independent alliances and pacts globally is the emergence of comprehensive cooperation among them, which challenges the content and structure of Western dominance.

This major concern of Washington and its allies has now found tangible expression in Hangzhou, and as time progresses, this concern will grow stronger and more pronounced from the Western perspective.

One of the areas that could serve as a point of convergence for SCO member states is their shared legal concerns and the near-unanimous opposition to the distorted narrative of human rights propagated by the United States and European governments.

The most significant achievement and message of the Hangzhou Summit is the creation of this shared legal framework. Over time, with the determination of SCO members, this framework will become more robust, and penetration by rival or hostile forces will become increasingly difficult. There must be no hesitation in advancing this path.