Tehran: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left for Kyrgyzstan to attend a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and hold talks with his counterparts on key regional and international issues. Araghchi departed Tehran on Thursday afternoon for the meeting, which is scheduled to be held on July 23 and 24 in the Kyrgyz resort city of Cholpon-Ata.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, foreign ministers from China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus are expected to attend the gathering. The meeting will focus on preparing the agenda for the upcoming SCO summit, reviewing political and security developments in the region, and coordinating positions on issues of common concern. The ministers will also discuss documents and draft agreements to be considered at the summit.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said during his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday that the meeting would cover economic and security issues, as well as counterterrorism efforts. He added that the gathering would also provide an opportunity for Iran's foreign minister to hold consultations with counterparts from SCO member states and observer countries, with a number of bilateral meetings already scheduled.