Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has highlighted the importance of the BRICS summit that is underway in the Russian city of Kazan, saying the intergovernmental organization can strengthen ties between member states and beat back U.S. unilateralism.
Speaking on Tuesday before departing for Russia to attend the summit, President Pezeshkian highlighted the organization’s role in promoting multilateralism and facilitating free trade among nations.
President Pezeshkian said agriculture, energy, industry, trade, and tourism are key areas for cooperation and interaction among BRICS members.
The three-day summit provides an opportunity for the newly-elected Iranian president to meet with the presidents of Russia, China, India, and other participating countries to explore further areas of collaboration and exchanges.
Emphasizing the significance of the trip, President Pezeshkian stated that this is the first time Iran is participating as a full member.
He added that the trip, made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aims to foster unity and cohesion among BRICS countries to counter U.S. dominance.
President Pezeshkian reiterated that the summit would allow Iran to present its positions on the ongoing issues in the region and world.
Welcoming Ceremony
Meanwhile, a welcoming ceremony has been held for the heads of delegations arriving for an informal lunch. Tomorrow, 23 October, meetings will be held in both narrow and expanded formats, after which summit participants will attend a formal reception.
On the final day of the event, delegates will participate in two plenary sessions in the BRICS+ format, after which the Kazan Declaration will be adopted. The results of the high-level meeting on 24 October will be announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference.
The head of the Russian republic of Tatarstan where the summit is being held, Rustam Minnikhanov, expressed confidence that the event will be organised to a high standard. He highlighted that extensive preparations had been undertaken in Kazan for the summit, including road improvements, upgrades to the airport infrastructure, and the construction of new tourist attractions. According to him, these developments will positively impact the lives of the city’s residents.
Huge boost for China-Russia relations
Regarding China-Russia ties, Minnikhanov said the two countries still have a huge potential in bilateral cooperation going forward.
“We have a great interest in partnerships with Chinese regions, and there are great possibilities there. Good relations between the Chinese leader and the Russian leader allow us to build relations with the regions of the People’s Republic of China. The pandemic has slowed us down a little bit. I must say that there are a lot of useful things at the level of government, at the level of municipal authorities. We have an opportunity to watch and learn,” he said.
“And, of course, trade and economic relations are also important taking into consideration of the new circumstances. The West has left and the East has risen, in a very decent way. The growth of trade turnover and our plans are largely connected with the Eastern countries, first of all, with China. I think that any visit of a head of state, and especially of such a state as China, is certainly an opportunity for us to showcase ourselves. And we know that China is a very disciplined country. If there is a positive message from the head of China towards Tatarstan, it is again our competitive opportunity to continue working for the benefit of Russia-China relations,” said Minnikhanov.
Among those already in Kazan are Vladimir Putin, Prime Ministers of India and Ethiopia Narendra Modi and Abiy Ahmed, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, President of the BRICS New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardane, and Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. Guests are being welcomed with a traditional Tatar dish, chak-chak.
