Pretoria has been asked to back Tehran’s “accelerated membership” into the coalition.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was cited by the Iranian Mehr news agency on Friday, South Africa is in favour of Iran joining the BRICS club of nations. Iran is one of more than 20 nations that have officially applied to join the economic community.
During discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Thursday during the 15th meeting of the Joint Commission of the Islamic Republic of Iran and South Africa in Pretoria, Ramaphosa expressed support for Tehran’s membership bid.
Ramaphosa stated, according to Mehr news, “South Africa is interested in Iran being accepted as a member of BRICS as a friendly country,” adding that Tehran has the “full support of Pretoria Africa in this regard.”
Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, and leaders from 66 other nations have also been invited by South Africa, the current BRICS chair, to the summit of the five-nation group later this month in Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa was informed by the Iranian minister on Thursday that Raisi has accepted the invitation and would attend the meeting from August 22–24.
Amirabdollahian stated that Tehran had sought Pretoria’s “strong” commitment for its “accelerated membership” in the grouping, which presently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, at a briefing after the meeting with the South African president.
Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations for South Africa, stated earlier this week that one of the topics up for discussion at the forthcoming summit would be expanding the number of BRICS members.
She stated that 23 nations, including Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Indonesia, and Algeria, had submitted formal membership bids to the BRICS.
Despite Iran’s long-standing tense relations with the US and the fact that it has been subject to stricter sanctions since 2019, the minister justified Iran’s invitation, stressing that the invitation is not intended to forge a “anti-Western” alliance.
Pandor pledged to stop the bloc’s growth in a way that would push South Africa “down a path” that fuels escalating international strife.
Pretoria has been asked to back Tehran’s “accelerated membership” into the coalition.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was cited by the Iranian Mehr news agency on Friday, South Africa is in favour of Iran joining the BRICS club of nations. Iran is one of more than 20 nations that have officially applied to join the economic community.
During discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Thursday during the 15th meeting of the Joint Commission of the Islamic Republic of Iran and South Africa in Pretoria, Ramaphosa expressed support for Tehran’s membership bid.
Ramaphosa stated, according to Mehr news, “South Africa is interested in Iran being accepted as a member of BRICS as a friendly country,” adding that Tehran has the “full support of Pretoria Africa in this regard.”
Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, and leaders from 66 other nations have also been invited by South Africa, the current BRICS chair, to the summit of the five-nation group later this month in Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa was informed by the Iranian minister on Thursday that Raisi has accepted the invitation and would attend the meeting from August 22–24.
Amirabdollahian stated that Tehran had sought Pretoria’s “strong” commitment for its “accelerated membership” in the grouping, which presently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, at a briefing after the meeting with the South African president.
Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations for South Africa, stated earlier this week that one of the topics up for discussion at the forthcoming summit would be expanding the number of BRICS members.
She stated that 23 nations, including Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Indonesia, and Algeria, had submitted formal membership bids to the BRICS.
Despite Iran’s long-standing tense relations with the US and the fact that it has been subject to stricter sanctions since 2019, the minister justified Iran’s invitation, stressing that the invitation is not intended to forge a “anti-Western” alliance.
Pandor pledged to stop the bloc’s growth in a way that would push South Africa “down a path” that fuels escalating international strife.
