Iran called its permanent BRICS membership a “strategic victory” after South Africa’s president inducted six new members on Thursday.
Iran’s president’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs, Mohammad Jamshidi, announced Iran’s permanent membership on social media.
Iran becomes a permanent BRICS member in a historic move. A crucial win for Iran’s foreign policy “Jamshidi congratulated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian people.
On Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who hosts this year’s BRICS summit, asked Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to join.
The Johannesburg conference this year focused on expanding the five-member club of emerging economies, with five existing members giving their approval on Wednesday.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a 15th BRICS summit invitee, arrived in Johannesburg early Thursday.
Before flying to South Africa, Raisi called BRICS a “new emerging power in the world” of “independent countries.”
He also said Iran would work with BRICS countries.
Iran joined the BRICS amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington over the 2015 nuclear deal and violent confrontations in the Persian Gulf.
Read also: Saudi, Iran, and others join BRICS developing world bloc
BRICS can challenge the G-7, a powerful US-led political forum that includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK, according to experts.
The five BRICS countries—Russia, China, Brazil, India, and South Africa—represent 42% of the world’s population and are predicted to generate over 50% of global GDP by 2030.
Last June, Iran filed for full membership days after President Raisi was invited to virtually address the BRICS Plus summit.
Raisi said his country will contribute its “vast capabilities and potentials” to assist the bloc achieve its goals, but he also noted “conflicting global trends, unilateralism, nationalistic partialities, sanctions and coercive economic action.”
Later, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated it anticipated full participation “will add value to it” and informed of negotiations with BRICS’ five permanent members.
At the “Iran and BRICS: Prospects and Partnership Cooperation” conference in Tehran this month, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian called his country a “reliable and influential” partner.
“Iran is a reliable and influential partner in bilateral and multilateral cooperation due to its strategic and unique geographical location, large energy reserves, especially oil and gas, cheap and short transportation and transit network, young and expert manpower, and modern scientific and technological achievements,” he told the Foreign Ministry.
As Tehran ditches the US currency for local currencies, observers say Iran’s experience with US sanctions makes it an important member of the union.
The bloc has proposed a New Development Bank to challenge the IMF, which dominates global finance.
