Secretary-General Bolat Nurgaliyev

Iran's bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization depends on whether the Euro-Asian alliance decides to expand, its leader said Tuesday.

ASHGABAT, December 12 (Itar-Tass) - The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Economic Cooperation Organization agreed to step up economic relations. SCO Secretary-General Bolat Nurgaliyev and ECO Secretary-general Khurshid Anwar signed a memorandum of cooperation on Tuesday, the Turkmen government’s press service said. The SCO includes Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Iran and Mongolia have an observer status.