Why it matters:
ECO is one of the world’s key transit corridors, stretching from the Persian Gulf to Central Asia and the Caucasus, and its member countries collectively host around half a billion people with vast energy and mineral resources. Beyond its economic potential, the organization serves as an important platform for regional diplomacy, particularly for Iran, allowing member states to coordinate on trade, transport, and cultural initiatives while addressing shared challenges.
The big picture:
Formed by Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan and later expanded to 10 member states (Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan), this country aims to increase intra-regional trade, develope transport and transit networks, collaborate on energy, electricity, and pipelines, and support tourism and cultural exchanges.
What they're saying:
Secretary-General Asad Majeed Khan outlined the organization’s recent achievements and upcoming priorities. Highlighting 2026 as “the year of implementation and consolidation of programs,” he announced that ECO is in the process of drafting its “Strategic Goals of Economic Cooperation 2035,” to be finalized by mid-2026. Khan also emphasized the revitalization of ministerial meetings after years of hiatus, noting that the recently adopted Tehran Declaration underscores “joint efforts to combat terrorism, organized crime, and emerging security threats.”
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Reza Salehi-Amiri, also addressed the ceremony, underscoring the deep cultural bonds uniting ECO member states. “Although political borders may divide us, in culture, history, tradition, and collective memory, no borders exist among us,” he said, pointing to shared traditions such as Nowruz and Yalda. Describing the ECO region as “a successful example of civilizational solidarity,” Salehi-Amiri called for greater people-to-people interaction and envisioned a future with a unified regional visa that would allow citizens to “travel freely across neighboring countries and strengthen cultural, economic, and political cooperation.”
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ECO anniversary ceremony, Salehi-Amiri emphasized that strengthening regional cohesion is now the organization’s most urgent priority. He warned that ECO must reinforce internal unity to counter destabilizing outside interference. “What we need most today is cohesion and convergence in the ECO region so we can prevent hostile powers from encroaching on this space,” he said, adding that enhanced regional unity could serve as a mechanism to neutralize “destructive external actions.”
Go deeper:
ECO Interior Ministers Meet in Tehran as Iran Calls for ECOPOL and Regional Security
35th ECO Planning Council Meeting Kicks Off in Tehran
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