MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have expressed concern over the escalation of the situation around Iran, with the organization having promptly issued a corresponding statement, advocating for a political and diplomatic settlement, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev said in an interview with TASS.

"SCO member states have expressed concern over the developments surrounding Iran. Iran is a member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The situation around Iran has remained quite tense since last year, and it escalated on February 28 as an act of aggression against one of our organization’s member states essentially began," he said on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum of CIS Member States.

The SCO promptly adopted and issued a political statement expressing serious concern about the ongoing events, Yermekbayev noted. "[The statement] calls for the use of political and diplomatic measures to resolve this conflict and this situation. In general, the SCO has consistently advocated for the resolution of any conflicts solely through peaceful political and diplomatic means. By adopting this statement, SCO member states have once again confirmed their commitment to such principles as respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states, and called for the inadmissibility of the use of force in any international situation," he stressed.

The SCO has issued four statements on the situation surrounding Iran since last January, SCO Secretary General said. "Currently, such political statements are the SCO’s only tool for responding to situations that threaten peace and security. Therefore, the SCO is closely monitoring the developments of the situation," he explained.

The organization is ready to provide a platform for negotiations on resolving the situation in the Middle East if member states take such a decision, Yermekbayev concluded. "If there is such a wish from member states, such a decision - in the SCO all decisions are made by consensus - the SCO is always ready to provide a platform," he said.