Nikolay Bobkin, political scientist, Institute of the USA and Canada. Academician G.A. Arbatova

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), having decided at the recent summit in South Africa to expand the structure by inviting the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as five other countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Argentina ), took an important historical step

The powerful economic alliance, which accounts for a significant portion of global GDP, is seeking to attract new strategic members to help represent the economic initiatives of the global majority. The combined GDP of the first five BRICS members is expected to reach $27.6 trillion in 2023, and when new members are included, the expected GDP will rise to almost $31 trillion, representing approximately 30% of the global share. A key role in this will be played by the BRICS New Development Bank, which is going to significantly expand the provision of loans in currencies other than the US dollar. There is no doubt that BRICS will now be able to significantly increase its influence on the process of building a new multilateral system.

Iran attaches particular importance to the common dissatisfaction of the BRICS countries with the political and economic hegemony of the United States. Iranian politicians emphasize that none of the BRICS members supported the United States and the West in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and none of them sided with the United States in attempts to provoke an escalation of the war. In addition, the practice of BRICS throughout the 17-year history of the alliance has demonstrated respect for all member states. All this was the reason why BRICS turned out to be so attractive to Iran, which has long been subject to pressure and humiliation from Western powers. Tehran also does not forget that this year Iran was also declared the ninth member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a meeting with President Ebrahim Raisi and members of his cabinet on August 30, praised the government’s foreign policy achievements, emphasizing the importance of Iran’s membership in BRICS and the SCO. In his speech, he criticized the perception of some Iranian politicians who limit interaction with the world and consider relations with only a handful of Western countries worthy. “This view is wrong, regressive and dates back 100 years when a few European countries dominated the world. Today we must abandon this outdated and regressive point of view and understand that interaction with the world means connecting with Africa, South America and Asia, which have enormous human and natural resources,” the Iranian leader emphasized.

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed disappointment that the government’s positive actions on the international stage are being overshadowed by problems related to the livelihoods of Iranians, and sees an opportunity to turn political gains into economic gains. Iranian diplomacy, thanks to dual membership in the SCO and BRICS, is aimed at expanding trade and economic ties with partners in these alliances. By participating in joint activities, Iranian representatives will have a greater opportunity to develop their business relationships, which is important in the context of ongoing US sanctions. Iran, experts say, could also benefit from joint efforts with the BRICS countries to de-dollarize, judging by the consensus reached on this issue in Johannesburg.

At the same time, the government understands that economic benefits will not come immediately after political achievements. However, it is expected that the policies pursued by President Raisi’s cabinet will contribute to the future strengthening of the country’s economy. Having signed numerous and long-term cooperation documents with other countries, the Iranians today place emphasis on their implementation so that they do not remain only on paper. For example, China and Iran are working to implement the 2022 Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement and various 2023 agreements reached during President Raisi’s visit to Beijing. Iran believes that joining the SCO and BRICS will make this cooperation more feasible. In addition to bilateral mechanisms, the leaders of the two countries are expected to meet with each other twice a year, respectively, within the framework of the SCO and BRICS, and will be able to directly discuss specific issues of cooperation.

One notable aspect of the BRICS expansion is the invitation of Saudi Arabia to join the group. After Iran became a full member and Saudi Arabia became a “dialogue partner” of the SCO with the prospect of full membership, BRICS became the second multilateral platform for cooperation and dialogue between Riyadh and Tehran. The simultaneous entry into BRICS and the future entry of Saudi Arabia into the SCO could further strengthen the nascent process of bilateral normalization of relations between Tehran and Riyadh. In other words, a forum like BRICS, where both countries can interact on an equal basis and all decisions are taken by consensus, may prove to be a suitable platform for gradually strengthening mutual trust.

At the same time, the reactions of Tehran and Riyadh to the invitation to join BRICS differed markedly in tone and content. While Iranian politicians rejoiced at the prospect, the Saudis were much more cautious and indicated the need to further study the details of what membership would entail before confirming their intention to join. This difference stems from the different needs of both countries. Joining BRICS has much greater diplomatic significance for Iran.

BRICS is truly global and cannot be discounted as a club of Eurasian countries. Its members include Brazil, India, South Africa and, if membership is confirmed after elections later this year, Argentina. None of these countries can be classified as anti-American. However, their ties to the West did not become an obstacle to approval of Iran’s entry. Tehran is right to view this as a diplomatic success.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, does not need to overcome international isolation and confrontational relations with Washington. However, joining BRICS fits into Riyadh’s broader strategy of diversifying its external ties and, in particular, building closer relations with China. Thus, there is a possibility that Saudi Arabia, after the necessary diplomatic pause, will accept the BRICS invitation.

Thanks to BRICS membership, Iran will have more opportunities to improve its international status. The leaders of the BRICS countries have a valuable opportunity to use the created space and expand their mutual and multilateral interaction. There is already talk in Tehran about a bid to host the SCO and BRICS summits; this, as Iranian politicians hope, could nullify the efforts of the United States and the West to maintain Iran’s isolation.