Iran Wants to Join Group of Top Emerging Economies to ‘Challenge Western Policies’ an says it’s applying to join the club of leading emerging economies known as BRICS –comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – as China continues its push to expand the grouping as a counterweight to Western-dominated multilateral forums.
Argentina, meanwhile, has also indicated it wants to become a member.
All five current members would need to agree to expansion of the loose grouping, which held its first summit 13 years ago.
Russia is onboard, but suggests that criteria for future candidates should be agreed upon first, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters this week.
“In principle, we look positively at the issue of the association’s potential enlargement, although we understand that it is necessary to approach this issue very carefully,” he said.
“We propose defining the procedures and requirements for potential candidates for joining BRICS,” Ushakov said. “It is important to work out these rules of the potential enlargement and after that consider specific candidates.”
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman announced on Monday that the regime has formally applied to join BRICS, expressing the hope that Tehran’s membership would bring “added value” both for Iran and the existing members.
The announcement came after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi late last week addressed the annual BRICS (virtual) summit, hosted by China, which holds the rotating presidency this year. Raisi in those remarks said Iran’s was ready to share its capabilities and potential to help the grouping attain its goals............
https://www.cnsnews.com/index.php/article/international/patrick-goodenough/iran-wants-join-group-top-emerging-economies-challenge
