Iranian president proposes ‘CIS+1’ cooperation format

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed on Friday a CIS+1 cooperation format to boost cooperation between Iran and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

"The format 'CIS member states + Iran', or 'CIS+1,' format should be established as a flexible and effective mechanism for dialogue and cooperation," Pezeshkian said at the CIS summit in the Avaza tourist zone of Turkmenistan.

He called on the nations of "this important and strategic region" to play a key role in shaping a multipolar world, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Regional diplomacy must go beyond meetings to manage crises, maintain communication, prevent conflict escalation and promote practical cooperation, he said.

Tehran seeks "connectivity rather than division, cooperation rather than destructive competition, interdependence rather than one-sided dependence, and security based on trust and shared interests rather than threats," he added.

The CIS is a regional intergovernmental organization formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, comprising Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan participating as an associate member.

Pezeshkian was invited to the summit as a special guest.