Speaking before departing Tehran for India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit on Friday, Pezeshkian said the meeting would provide an important opportunity to expand economic, trade, industrial and scientific cooperation among member states and strengthen the approach of multilateralism in the international system.
Referring to BRICS’ position in global affairs, the president said the grouping currently has 21 members, including 11 main members and 10 new members known as “BRICS Plus.”
Pezeshkian added that BRICS members collectively account for more than 45 percent of the world’s population and about 35 percent of the world’s territory, giving the grouping considerable capacities in various fields.
He said one of the main objectives of BRICS is to counter unilateralism, stressing that the effort is aimed at enabling countries to maintain their independence while developing their economic and trade relations and activities.
The president said the theme of this year’s BRICS summit is centered on solidarity, sustainability, resistance and innovation, adding that under this approach, cooperation and exchanges among member states in economic, financial, industrial, scientific and trade fields are expected to expand further.
Pezeshkian also pointed to BRICS’ financial capacities, saying that the BRICS Bank has been established in the monetary and financial sphere to facilitate investment and joint activities among member states through this mechanism.
Emphasizing the importance of reducing dependence on the dollar in economic exchanges among BRICS members, he said the grouping is seeking to enable countries to create conditions for economic and regional development “without dependence on the dollar” and stand against unilateralism and the excessive demands of major powers.
The president described the 18th BRICS Summit as a suitable opportunity for dialogue with major and influential member states, saying the participation of countries such as China, Russia, Brazil, India and other regional countries would provide an appropriate capacity for expanding cooperation and holding bilateral and multilateral consultations.
Regarding Iran-India relations, Pezeshkian said the two countries have a very long history of relations and share a common cultural heritage and numerous capacities for expanding cooperation.
He stressed that Iran and India can further develop cooperation in cultural, economic and social fields, adding that Tehran can use its participation in the summit to hold talks and consultations with officials from various countries, both within general meetings and in bilateral meetings.
Asked how much BRICS can contribute to countering unilateralism and the system of domination, Pezeshkian said, “Basically, one of the objectives behind the formation of BRICS has been to counter unilateralism,” adding that this year’s theme was also chosen in line with this objective.
He noted that the global economy is highly complex and that the dominance some powers have established over global relations in recent years requires new plans and approaches to counter it.
Pezeshkian said that based on this approach, innovation and expanded cooperation among BRICS members can help strengthen the bloc and reduce unilateralism in the international system.
The president finally expressed hope that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s participation in the 18th BRICS Summit would bring desirable achievements for the country.