TEHRAN – Representatives of BRICS countries have called for putting an end to the ongoing crimes committed by the Zionist regime in the Gaza Strip.

The meeting of representatives from BRICS member countries convened on Thursday evening in Moscow. The session, aside from discussing the collaborative parliamentary agenda involving the ten member nations, also squarely addressed the urgent need to confront the actions of the Zionist regime.

The agenda of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum and proposals for inter-parliamentary collaboration among member countries took center stage during this intensive two-day session. 

Ebrahim Rezaei, head of the Iran-Russia parliamentary friendship group and a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, represented Iran in this forum.

Rezaei articulated the Iranian delegation's stance, contextualizing Iran's BRICS membership within the broader strategic objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

He cited the recent events in Gaza to vehemently denounce the actions of the Zionist regime, characterizing them as acts of state terrorism and genocide and advocating for their immediate cessation.

Emphasizing one of the primary agendas of the Iranian parliamentary delegation, Rezaei reiterated the commitment to defending Palestine's rights and condemning the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime, which he linked to the U.S. support of the regime.

Furthermore, the Iranian lawmaker outlined concerted efforts to harness the political and diplomatic prowess of BRICS in halting the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza. 

He urged leveraging all available political and economic instruments to dismantle the war machinery of the Zionist regime.

Touching upon the formation of an anti-Western coalition, Rezaei underscored the positive impacts and opportunities arising from BRICS membership.

Other key highlights of the session included engagements between representatives from BRICS member countries and the first working group meeting aimed at exploring avenues for parliamentary cooperation. Notable discussions took place with the Deputy Head of the Federation Council and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The BRICS group, comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, established in 2009, has emerged as a significant force shaping global economic discussions. 

Iran, alongside Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, received an invitation to join this influential bloc effective January 1, 2024, signaling a significant transformation in the geopolitical arena.

Rezaei concluded by highlighting the significance of BRICS membership in rebuffing Western attempts to isolate Iran, thereby bolstering Iran's resistance against Western hegemony and reshaping the global power dynamics to foster a more balanced international order, with power shifting from the West to the East.