Iran, Saudi Arabia, along with four additional countries have been invited to join BRICS, a group encompassing five major emerging economies – China, Brazil, South Africa, Russia and India.
This was crystallized from the words of the BRICS leaders, citing that the appeal of these nations – Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Argentina, and Ethiopia – to be inducted into the assembly was ratified, with their full membership anticipated to commence the dawn of January 2024.
In the preceding two days, the leaders representing BRICS engaged in rigorous colloquy in the vibrant city of Johannesburg, deciding and deliberating over the integration of new participants. These discussions pushed the envelope until the last conceivable moment. Today, at length and in unanimity, the group embraced its newest members, including Iran.
Last night, in a phone communication with his Indian counterpart, Iran’s top diplomat formally expressed gratitude for the role India played in facilitating the bid for Iran’s membership.
Thus, it can be discerned through Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian’s interaction with the Indian Foreign Minister that India appeared to have had a change of mind during the crucial talks, swaying the direction toward inclusivity, and accepting new members such as Iran.
In the preceding months, Iran executed a volley of political rapports with the five founding BRICS nations, ultimately persuading them for the acceptance of their application. This newly acquired affiliation is considered a prominent milestone, both domestically and internationally, and is thus cementing not just Iran’s standing, but its implications for other BRICS members as well, with both Russia and China amongst the ones likely to be affected.