Pezeshkian says BRICS a chance to counter unilateralism as he heads to India for summit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has traveled to New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, saying the gathering offers an opportunity to strengthen multilateralism and push back against unilateralism in international relations.

The summit will be held in the Indian capital on September 12-13 under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."

"One of the fundamental objectives behind the creation of BRICS has been to counter unilateralism, and this year's theme has been chosen in line with that objective," Pezeshkian said before departing on Friday.

He described the summit as "an important opportunity to expand economic, trade, industrial and scientific cooperation among member states, and strengthen multilateralism in the international system."

The Iranian president said the bloc now has 21 members — 11 full members and 10 new entrants known as "BRICS Plus."

Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became partner countries last year.

Pezeshkian said BRICS members account for more than 45 percent of the world's population and about 35 percent of its land area, giving the group significant capacity across multiple fields.

"Innovation and expanded cooperation among members can contribute to reinforcing the bloc and reducing unilateralism in the international arena," he said.

Pezeshkian highlighted the group's financial mechanisms, noting that the New Development Bank — formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank — was established to facilitate investment and joint economic activities among member states.

"The BRICS seeks to enable countries to promote economic and regional development without relying on the US dollar, while standing firm against unilateralism and the excessive demands of major powers," he said.

He said the aim is for countries "to develop their economic and trade relations and activities while preserving their independence."

During his visit to New Delhi, Pezeshkian is expected to address the main leaders' session, the BRICS economic forum, and a closed-door leaders' meeting on inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism.

He will also hold meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other leaders and officials attending.

"The participation of countries such as China, Russia, Brazil, India and other countries from the region in the summit provides a valuable opportunity to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation and consultations," Pezeshkian said.

On Iran-India ties, he said: "The relations between the two countries have a very long history, and Iran and India share a common cultural heritage and abundant capacities to develop cooperation."

"We can further expand Iran-India cooperation in cultural, economic and social fields, and use the opportunity of attending this summit to hold talks and consultations with officials of different countries, both in general sessions and in bilateral meetings."

Asked how effective BRICS can be in countering unilateralism, Pezeshkian said the global economy is highly complex and that the dominance some powers have established over international relations in recent years "requires new plans and approaches to confront."

He expressed hope that Iran's participation in the 18th BRICS summit would yield favorable results for the country.

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