Beijing: Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has met with the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Nurlan Yermekbayev, at the SCO Secretariat. According to Islamic Republic News Agency, during the talks, the two sides exchanged views on the topical issues of the SCO's current work in 2026, with a special focus on the preparations for the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council, which is scheduled to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the autumn of 2026. Gharibabadi highlighted the need to unlock the potential of the SCO Secretariat, elevate its role in the Organization's operations, and expand the terms of reference of the SCO Secretary-General. He also noted that it is expedient to continue the practice of the Secretariat submitting proposals to SCO member states for their consideration on various aspects of cooperation and the further improvement of the SCO's work. For his part, Yermekbayev stressed that the upcoming summit is of special significance, as it will be held in the year marking the 25th anniversary of the SCO's establishment. In this context, the substantive importance of the Chairmanship's theme - '25 years of the SCO: together for a stable world, development, and prosperity' - was noted. The meeting also discussed certain aspects of the implementation of joint initiatives in the fields of regional security, economic partnership, and the institutional consolidation of the Organization.