President Masoud Pezeshkian has made history as the first-ever special guest at a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit, using the platform to call for a unified regional network of transport, energy, and trade corridors and warning that security and stability in one part of the region cannot be pursued while sowing insecurity in another.

Speaking at the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in Turkmenistan's Avaza national tourism zone Friday, Pezeshkian said the region "needs resilience to war, crises, external pressure, and disruptions to economic and communication routes more than ever," adding that "success in this path requires, above all, connecting the region's capacities with one another."

"Our shared interests lie not in competition between routes, but in connecting them," he declared.

Pezeshkian described Iran as "not merely a partner" for Central Asia, but "a natural route connecting Central Asia and Eurasia to open waters."

He noted that Iran's southern ports in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman particularly Chabahar "can link the region to South Asia, Africa, and ultimately Europe."

He said Turkmenistan's proposal, presented at the United Nations General Assembly, to establish a transport corridor connecting Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe via the Caspian Sea "can be put into operation by leveraging Iran's capabilities."

The North–South and East–West corridors, he added, "are integral components of a single regional network" — not rivals. "Every new route adds to the capacity of other routes and contributes to greater convergence in the region."

'CIS + Iran': A new cooperation framework

Pezeshkian proposed the establishment of a "CIS + Iran" (CIS+1) format as "a flexible and effective mechanism for dialogue and cooperation" aimed at expanding joint efforts in transit, energy, trade, mining, investment, technology, water resources, the environment, tourism, and scientific and cultural exchanges.

He also called for an integrated network for energy production, transmission, and exchange among regional countries, as well as financial and barter mechanisms to facilitate trade — "mechanisms that can sustain economic cooperation in the face of external disruptions and restrictions."

Referencing the Russia-Ukraine conflict and illegal US-Israeli wars of aggression against Iran, Pezeshkian stressed that "regional security and stability are indivisible."

"It is not possible to seek security and development for one part of the region while fostering insecurity, economic pressure, and instability in another," he said.

He noted that Iran has been targeted twice in the past year by US and Israeli military attacks, which he said "not only harmed the people and civilian infrastructure of my country, but also affected many in the region and the world."

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's commitment to dialogue and diplomatic solutions, but added a condition: "Dialogue can only be meaningful when it is based on mutual respect, reciprocal commitments, and the abandonment of threats. Negotiation under the shadow of force is not negotiation; it is imposition and coercion."

He also warned that "the instrumental use of trade, banking, technology, energy, and the international financial system against countries is not merely a bilateral issue; rather, it affects the economic security and development of the entire region and the world."

"Pressure and sanctions against Iran do not merely constrain Iran's economic capacities; they also undermine trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and the regional order," he said.

Pezeshkian framed his proposals within a broader vision of regional self-determination.

"Today, more than ever, we need genuine multilateralism in our region. The countries of this important and strategic region must be key actors in shaping a multipolar world," he said.

"We are not simply faced with a choice between isolation and dependence. Rather, we must connect our capacities so that each country can benefit from the advantages of our shared geography while preserving its independence and national choices."

He offered a series of contrasts to define Iran's approach: "Instead of rupture, connection; instead of exhausting competition, cooperation; instead of one-sided dependence, mutual interdependence; and instead of security based on threat, security based on trust and shared interests."

Pezeshkian thanked Turkmenistan for hosting the summit and for inviting Iran as a special guest, describing the invitation as "a valuable opportunity to strengthen existing ties and open a new chapter of cooperation with the countries of this grouping."

He noted that the timing of the summit alongside the Caspian Sea environmental summit provided "a suitable ground for simultaneous attention to geographical ties, shared interests, shared concerns, and the cooperation capacities of Iran with the Caspian littoral states and Central Asia."

He expressed hope that the summit "can be a practical step toward a region in which Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Iran are not a collection of separate spaces, but part of a single network of cooperation, security, and development."

"Our geographical compulsion has bound us together," he said. "But it is our political will that can transform this bond into a shared asset for peace, security, and development."