According to reports by the Indian Asia News International Agency (ANI) on August 14, sources in Iran revealed that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will attend the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi from September 12 to 13. Iranian officials have not yet responded to this information. The summit, hosted by India as the rotating chair country, is expected to focus on global economic and political challenges, as well as efforts to expand cooperation among BRICS member countries.
In 2024, the BRICS cooperation mechanism achieved a historic expansion. Iran joined forces with Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia as official members. Indonesia will become a full member in 2025, increasing the number of member countries to 11. Currently, the total population of BRICS countries (including member states and partner countries) accounts for approximately 58% of the global population, and their economic size represents about 31% of the global economy. However, the overall economic influence of BRICS is still less than that of the G7 group, which accounts for 44% of the global economy.
According to Russian media outlet RT, Pesezhiyan's visit comes at a time when tensions in the Middle East are escalating. There have been frequent diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and New Delhi recently. ANI reports that Iran advocates for BRICS countries to actively participate in preventing wars in the Middle East and to facilitate mediation in conflicts between Gaza and Lebanon.
Earlier this week, during the meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the BRICS countries hosted in India, Iran's Central Bank Governor Abdulnasir Hemati announced that Iran would soon join the New Development Bank (NDB). Hemati said, "One of the most important achievements of the cooperation among BRICS countries is the establishment of the NDB, and our country will soon become a member of this bank."
Reuters pointed out that Iran is still under comprehensive sanctions from the United States and the international community, and has not yet reached a peace agreement with the United States and Israel to end the current conflict. This makes Tehran even more motivated to seek alternative financial channels beyond the US dollar system.
Golden Brick Nation members have been committed to reducing their reliance on the US dollar by promoting domestic currency trade and financial transactions. Hemati said that Iran believes that members of the Golden Brick Nations can use their local currencies for trade and are seeking bilateral and trilateral currency cooperation with other members.
