TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran has applied for joining the group of five major emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a spokesman said.
The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced at a press conference on Monday that the Islamic Republic has submitted its application for membership in the BRICS.
A series of consultations have been held in this regard, Saeed Khatibzadeh added.
He said although the BRICS is not a treaty or an international agreement, it has been based on a very creative mechanism with broad aspects.
The spokesman noted that the BRICS members make up 30 percent of the world’s gross production and 40 percent of the world’s population.
He expressed hope that Iran’s membership in the BRICS would result in “added values” for both sides.
Addressing a virtual summit of the BRICS Business Forum, which was attended by the group’s top leaders on Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed the country’s readiness to share its vast capabilities and potentials to help the BRICS attain its goals, Tasnim News reports.
In addition to Iran, Argentina also applied to join the BRICS mechanism, the Russian state media reported, days after a summit of the five-nation bloc during which the leaders agreed to continue to discuss the possibility of admitting new countries to the grouping on the basis of “full consultation and consensus.”
Argentina and Iran have applied for joining BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by the state-run Tass news agency.
The diplomat expressed hope that “Iran will be able to contribute to the BRICS’ operation and benefit the organisation.” Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez said at a BRICS+ meeting last week that his country wants to become a full member of the association, the Tass report said.
Ahead of the summit, Saudi Arabia too expressed interest to join the grouping, according to reports.
The issue of expansion of the BRICS bloc was figured in the June 23 virtual summit hosted by China, which is this year’s chair.
The declaration issued at the end of the summit said the leaders will continue to discuss the possibility of admitting new countries to the five-nation grouping on the basis of “full consultation and consensus.” Asked for his reaction at a media briefing here on Tuesday about Iran and Argentina applying to join BRICS, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said many countries have expressed their interest to join the five-member bloc of emerging markets.
“BRICS countries agreed that it is important to step up cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries to improve the representativeness of the BRICS mechanism and make it loudly heard on major international issues so that we can better rise up to challenges and uphold the interests of emerging markets and developing counties,” Zhao said.
“We have noted that many countries including Iran and Argentina have expressed their willingness to join the BRICS family. As the chair of the BRICS this year China actively supports BRICS countries to start the membership expansion process to expand BRICS Plus cooperation,” he said.
Zhao said that at the 14th summit held on June 23 the BRICS leader made a “unanimous voice” on the expansion of the BRICS mechanism and they supported discussion, standards and procedure for the expansion.
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