Cape Town in South Africa was hosting the foreign ministers of the BRICS and “Friends of BRICS” on 2 June 2023. My delegation and I also attended this meeting upon the invitation of my dear colleague Dr. Pandor, the honorable Foreign Minister of South Africa.

I availed myself of this opportunity and delivered a statement on the ideas and initiatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran to enhance and contribute to the programs and objectives of the BRICS. Moreover, I conferred with my counterparts from the BRICS member countries and discussed a variety of important regional and international issues of mutual interest and significance. 
 
The five BRICS nations own in excess of one fifth of the world’s gross domestic product, 40 percent of its population (three billion) and 30 percent of its territory. Having played an important role in global developments during the past 15 years of its establishment, the BRICS has been successful in stabilizing itself as an outstanding coalition of emerging economies and pioneer countries from the South, contributing to global economy and finance. The recent approaches by the BRICS countries towards some prevailing world trends, in particular measures taken to confront the hegemony of the US dollar and oppose unilateralism in global economy and trade have been welcomed and appreciated by many other countries that are now seeking to join the five-nation group. 

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, within the framework of its balanced foreign policy doctrine, has devoted scrupulous attention to promoting economic diplomacy. In fact, President Raisi has highlighted the significance of multilateralism as one of the pivotal tools at the service of economic diplomacy. Iran’s active presence in and contribution to regional economic organizations are the outcome of our recognition of multilateralism. Soon our permanent membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be concluded and this is another important achievement of the multilateralism policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s role and status in global and regional developments will be indubitably enhanced with the full membership of Iran, and our country will profit more from the advantages and benefits of multilateralism. 

Also, membership in BRICS could constitute another solid step by the Islamic Republic of Iran to advance and consolidate multilateralism. Last June, I sent a letter to my counterparts in the five member countries of BRICS and expressed our readiness to join the group and contribute to its goals and objectives given the mutual benefits we can jointly obtain. 

The membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which enjoys abundant potentialities and capacities such as bountiful sources of energy, unique connectivity, skillful human resources and hi-tec knowledge-based enterprises, would undeniably bring remarkable added value to BRICS. Iran’s costly but precious experience in withstanding unbridled unilateralism is an exceptional asset for BRICS. Reciprocally, membership in BRICS can provide greater capacities and open new avenues for Iran’s multilateral economic diplomacy.

The number of the countries interested in joining BRICS, some of whom were present in the Cape Town meeting, is well suggestive of the increasing significance and relevance of the objectives and goals pursued by the BRICS. As I highlighted in my statement to the Friends of BRICS, an extended BRICS, can present to the world an effective pattern and competent model of collective and inclusive governance, new South-South cooperation and coalition of emerging economies—patterns and models which will definitely play a role in correcting the present global systems. 

At the present time, membership in BRICS is on the agenda of member countries such as India, South Africa, Brazil, Russia and China. Moreover, our partners in BRICS are devising the criteria for membership of other countries (I emphasized in meetings with my counterparts from the BRICS member countries that the Islamic Republic of Iran is logically one of the main candidates for membership in BRICS and it will fulfill any criteria for membership set by the group). 

In my statement and consultations in Cape Town to reiterate our intention and support our determination to join the BRICS, I underscored that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not merely wait for official membership in BRICS but will consider avenues of partnership with this important bloc of the South. 

Our political relations with each of the five BRICS nations are at the best level, and our mutual economic ties and bilateral trade are on the rise. We, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, are seeking to provide a conducive environment and fresh space for additional multilateral cooperation. Soon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran will host a meeting of the BRICS member countries in Tehran to discuss further avenues of expanding relations. For this purpose, I will use future opportunities on various occasions such as my meetings with counterparts from the BRICS member countries to exchange views and consultations.  

Our agenda for the realization of a dynamic diplomacy in Iran is to secure the interests of the Iranian nation: “We will be present wherever there is an interest for the noble nation of Iran”. 

With best wishes and glad tidings.