Iranian president urges BRICS to establish permanent secretariat, resist unilateral sanctions

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday called on BRICS members to resist unilateral sanctions and establish a permanent secretariat to improve the bloc’s effectiveness. “To enhance efficiency and accelerate the implementation of BRICS decisions, measures such as resisting unilateral sanctions, transforming competition into cooperation and establishing a permanent secretariat are necessary,” he said in his speech to the BRICS summit in the Indian capital New Delhi, as cited by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. Pezeshkian outlined three main areas supported by Iran within the bloc. They include strengthening political coordination based on the UN Charter and respect for national sovereignty, developing economic and financial relations independent of “monopolistic instruments,” and expanding cooperation in science, technology, energy and food security for the benefit of the Global South. The Iranian president also addressed the Palestinian issue, describing the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination as “a serious test of the credibility and legitimacy of global governance.” “Any just solution requires respect for the will of the Palestinian people,” he said. “BRICS, as a voice of justice, must play a more active role in ending the occupation and guaranteeing their legitimate rights,” he added. Read: Trump says Iran probably responsible for attack on Saudi pipeline Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that foreign ministers from Arab states would meet in the Omani capital Muscat on Monday to sign an agreement establishing a joint Iran-Oman shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. “This week, on Monday, the foreign ministers of the Arab countries will meet in Muscat to sign an agreement establishing a joint route between Oman and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and to notify the International Maritime Organisation of the agreement,” Pezeshkian said in an interview with Indian broadcaster India Today published on Saturday. “The countries whose territories were used to launch attacks against us by the US will also attend this meeting,” he added. Commenting on the war with the US and the economic pressure imposed on Iran, Pezeshkian said Washington had failed to achieve its objectives militarily and was therefore resorting to economic measures. “They could not achieve their objectives through war, which is why they turned to economic pressure, but we will not stop,” he said. As for the US naval blockade on Iran, the Iranian president said his country was not entirely dependent on maritime routes. “Maritime routes are certainly not something on which our survival depends, and they will not be able to achieve their objectives in this way either,” he said. Pezeshkian said Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz when the US ends its blockade and attacks.