MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Iran plans to expand cultural exchanges with Russia within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Thursday.

"We are conducting negotiations with our Russian neighbors to establish cultural relations within the SCO. We had about 40 memorandums of understanding, two memorandums were documents concerning cultural issues. Let's expand this trajectory of cultural development in cooperation of the member countries along with the military, political and economic power of the SCO," he said.

The minister of culture also noted that for Iran, tourism is a great opportunity for cultural exchange since the country boasts cultural monuments, as well as historical, natural and geographical sightseeing attractions.

The summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State, which was held in New Delhi on Tuesday in an online format, announced Iran’s joining the SCO as its ninth member country.