Iran Press/Europe: The foreign ministers of the BRICS countries convened on June 10, 2024, in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation.
The two-day meeting, chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is taking place in Nizhny Novgorod. In addition to the ten member states, representatives from countries considered friends of BRICS also attended, including the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to a document distributed by India's Ministry of External Affairs, the ministers expressed their commitment to promoting energy cooperation among the BRICS countries. They stressed that ensuring universal access to affordable and reliable energy, as well as guaranteeing energy security, is fundamental for economic development, social stability, national security, and the welfare of all nations worldwide.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in early 2024 to include Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. While Saudi Arabia received an official invitation to join the forum in 2023 and confirmed its interest in doing so, later media reports suggested that the oil-rich state was still considering membership. Argentina was also invited but declined after its President Javier Milei opposed the move.
Established in 2009, the BRICS economic bloc has positioned itself as an alternative to Western-dominated international institutions. According to Statista, a data analysis company, BRICS surpassed the G7 countries' share of the world's total GDP in terms of purchasing power parity in 2020. As of 2023, BRICS accounted for a total of 32% of global GDP.
Iran's acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, participated in the meeting. 204
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