The files we follow: Iran and the BRICS, Iran’s relations with its neighbouring countries
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On Monday 23 December, an official meeting between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Tehran. President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk and Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev. According to Iran International media, the topics discussed at the meeting included bilateral cooperation between the two countries, as well as joint work involving Iran and the members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Following the signing of a free trade agreement with these member countries in December 2023 in St Petersburg, the Iranian government ratified the text in June 2024. Finally, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister extended an official invitation to the Iranian President to visit Russia for a meeting scheduled in Moscow before 19 January 2025, to finalize the signing of a long-term comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.
The topics discussed at this meeting reflect a shared commitment by both countries to diversify their regional cooperation. For Iran, concluding a strategic partnership agreement with Russia is part of a broader diplomatic effort to expand regional and international partnerships. Tehran’s main objective remains to overcome the diplomatic isolation exacerbated by Western sanctions, and secure regional sources of financing.
This trend is reflected in Iran’s recent membership in several international organizations: in July 2023, Iran became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a political and military alliance founded by China and Russia. In 2024, its membership in the BRICS+ group and inclusion in a free trade area with the EAEU brought Iran closer to other member states commercially while carrying significant symbolic weight for the regime. Ideologically, it enables the former Persian Empire to align itself with states that view themselves as disadvantaged by the dollar-dominated international system and Western norms, often perceived as biased or even imperialist. Participation in these organizations aligns with the Islamic Republic’s domestic and international narrative. Having faced internal instability and a presumed loss of influence since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite regime in Syria, which directly affects its regional influence strategy, Tehran’s strengthened cooperation with BRICS+ and Caucasus states holds significant promise for the future.
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