Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
The collapse of the Soviet Union which resulted in the independence of six Muslim populated republics in Central Asian and Caucuses also provided the three founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) with the opportunity to expand this organization in February 1992. During 20 years after its expansion, ECO has been moving forward, although with ups and downs. During this period, the organization has prepared the necessary framework and foundation for the economic integration and convergence of its member states through different measures and initiatives such as: the preparation of basic documents, action plans, long term strategies, priority setting, and finalizing important regional agreements in main sub-sectors of cooperation.
Due to various reasons, for Iran, ECO is not a choice, but an inevitable option to reach its goals for national and regional development. ECO is the only intergovernmental entity in the Iranian territories that relies, to a larger extent on the decisive role of Iran to implement its programs. The main question, here, is that taking into consideration the achievements of ECO during 20 years of its activities, what role the organization has played in the regional strategy of Iran? Could it help to achieve the objectives of economic regionalism of Iran? Reciprocally, what role Iran has played in the success and failure of ECO? To answer such questions, the main hypothesis of this research is that in spite of a more supportive role and active participation of Iran in ECO, comparing to other member countries, lack of a long -term strategy vis – a – vis ECO in Iran's foreign policy caused a very slow process to achieve its objective for regional convergence through this organization. In answer to questions and inquiries in this regard, the author of the paper is trying to review 20 years of ECO performance and its relations with Iran.
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