Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has proposed establishing a CIS+1 or CIS+Iran framework to strengthen cooperation between the Islamic Republic and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), highlighting regional connectivity, economic resilience and multilateralism as key priorities.
Speaking at the CIS heads of state summit in Turkmenistan on Friday, President Pezeshkian described Iran’s participation as the first country invited as a special guest as an opportunity to deepen existing ties and open a new chapter in relations with member states.
The president described Iran as an integral part of the region’s interconnected landscape, bound to its neighbors by shared history, culture, civilization and longstanding people-to-people ties.
He argued that regional countries needed stronger resilience against war, crises, external pressure and disruptions to economic and transport networks. Connecting their capacities, he said, was essential to achieving that goal.
President Pezeshkian said regional countries shared an interest in connecting, rather than competing over, transport routes, highlighting their potential to boost trade and economic integration.
He described Iran as a natural gateway for Central Asian countries and Eurasia to open waters, pointing to the country’s southern ports on the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, particularly Chabahar, as potential links connecting Central Asia with South Asia, Africa and Europe.
President Pezeshkian also said Turkmenistan’s proposal at the United Nations to establish a transport corridor linking Central Asia, South Asia and Europe through the Caspian Sea could be implemented by leveraging Iran’s infrastructure and geographic position.
He stressed that the North–South and East–West corridors should be viewed as complementary components of a broader regional network rather than competing routes.
The Iranian president called for expanding cooperation in energy production, transmission and exchange, including oil, natural gas, electricity and renewable energy. He also urged regional governments to explore practical financial and barter mechanisms to facilitate trade and reduce the impact of external restrictions.
Under the proposed CIS+1 format, Iran and CIS members could cooperate in transit, energy, trade, mining, investment, technology, water management, environmental protection, tourism, and scientific and cultural exchanges. The framework could also support joint responses to climate change, water scarcity, environmental challenges affecting the Caspian and Aral Sea regions, organized crime and drug trafficking.
President Pezeshkian said the region needed genuine multilateralism more than ever, arguing that regional diplomacy should go beyond formal meetings to help manage crises, maintain communication and prevent conflicts from escalating.
He also referred to two rounds of US and Israeli military attacks against Iran over the past year, saying such developments demonstrated the interconnected nature of regional security. He maintained that sustainable peace required mutual respect, reciprocal commitments and diplomacy free from coercion.
Iran wants connectivity instead of fragmentation, cooperation instead of exhausting competition, interdependence instead of one-sided dependence, and security based on trust and common interests rather than threats, he said.
President Pezeshkian concluded by thanking Turkmenistan for inviting Iran and hosting the summit, expressed hope that the meeting would advance practical cooperation among Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Iran.