WANA (Sep 27) – Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, mentioned an increase in requests for BRICS membership, stating: “In bilateral meetings, several countries have asked us to support their requests for joining BRICS.”

 

Araqchi, who is attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, told reporters about the discussions in New York, saying: “In all the meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly and bilateral talks, the issue of Lebanon and the aggression by the Zionist regime remained one of the key topics affecting the UN atmosphere this year.”

 

He referred to the emergency Security Council meeting on Lebanon, in which Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, participated and delivered a speech. “I also attended and spoke on behalf of Iran,” he added. “Unfortunately, due to U.S. policies that prevent these sessions from achieving results, the Security Council once again failed to make any decisions or even issue a simple press statement of condemnation. However, it provided a platform for Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and us to express our views.”

 

BRICS as a New Financial Hub

The Iranian foreign minister also referred to several meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, including the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue meeting, and the Non-Aligned Movement’s Palestine Committee session. He noted that in all three, the issues of Palestine, Gaza, and Lebanon were key topics of discussion, and during the Palestine Committee meeting, all members took a stand against Israel.

 

During the BRICS meeting, Araqchi discussed the goals of BRICS, emphasizing that it should become a new financial hub: “BRICS must become a new economic pole, and this is the will of all members — to transform BRICS into a new financial hub that can manage financial and trade transactions between countries without reliance on the U.S. or its financial system. Of course, regional issues were also extensively discussed in this session.”

 

Araqchi further pointed to the growing number of countries interested in joining BRICS: “The number of countries requesting BRICS membership or wanting to become BRICS partners is increasing. In bilateral meetings, several countries asked us to support their requests for joining BRICS.”

 

He concluded by saying, “This shows that BRICS is finding its place in the new global order and international relations, and it holds significant potential. However, there are also challenges that need to be resolved, which were discussed during the foreign ministers’ meeting.”