Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei Hails Iran’s Accession to BRICS, SCO as Great Success

 Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei lauded the administration of President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi’s neighborliness policy, and described Tehran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as the BRICS group of developing nations as remarkable achievements for the country.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with President Rayeesi and members of his Cabinet in Tehran on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Iran’s Leader expressed his gratitude to the Rayeesi administration for its foreign policy achievements, including its neighborliness policy and joining international organizations.

“The neighborliness policy must be pursued vigorously. We must not be in conflict with any of our neighbors,” he said, adding, “Every conflict must be turned into cooperation. This is doable and has already been done to some extent.”

Ayatollah Khamenei described Iran’s membership in the SCO and the BRICS group of emerging economies as two great achievements within a short span of time.

“Membership in two important international agreements in a short period of time was a great success,” the Supreme Leader stressed, arguing that the developments demonstrate Iran’s growing clout such that “the founders of these international agreements are willing – and sometimes insist – to include our beloved country among them”.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei said the anti-Iran sanctions are intended to take people’s livelihood hostage, calling for attempts to “neutralize” the bans in addition to pursuing negotiations to terminate them.

“Most of the sanctions are aimed at taking the livelihood of the people hostage,” he added.

Referring to the negotiations between Iran and world powers to have the sanctions terminated, the Leader stated efforts must be also directed at neutralizing the bans.

Back in early July, Iran officially became a full-fledged member of the SCO which accounts for 40 percent of the world’s population and 28 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP).

The SCO is a Central Asian political, economic, security and defense organization, which is the world’s largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population.

It was founded by China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 2001, and currently forms the world’s biggest regional market with eight official members, and three observer states. India and Pakistan became permanent members in 2017.

Iran has had an observer status at the organization, and in mid-September 2022, it signed a Memorandum of Obligations to become a permanent member of the SCO.

On the final day of a summit of the BRICS group last week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Iran is among six countries invited to join the powerful bloc as new members next year.

BRICS previously expanded only once in 2010, when South Africa joined the organization. The admission was made without any prerequisites.

BRICS countries currently account for 40% of the world’s population and almost a third of the global economy.

The group touts itself as an alternative to Western-dominated international institutions, stressing that its approach better reflects the emerging multipolar world. As Western influence dwindled, its leaders leveraged tools under their control, such as the dollar, to protect its hegemonic position, BRICS members state. Participants of the summit expressed confidence that the organization’s influence will continue to grow.

The administration of President Rayeesi has since taking office been trying to tap into the potential of the regional, economic, political and security alliances, which can further secure Iran’s national interest within the framework of multilateralism.