Iran's president to attend BRICS summit in Russia

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian will take part in the BRICS summit in Kazan, according to Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali.

Jalali made the remarks on the margins of the BRICS Media Summit, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“Dear Mr. Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take part in the summit in Kazan,” he said, commenting on Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov's words that Moscow was waiting for confirmation of the Iranian leader's participation in the summit ”through diplomatic channels”.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Russia had recently received ballistic missiles from Iran, which could be deployed in Ukraine within weeks. Blinken warned that cooperation between Moscow and Tehran posed a significant threat to European security.

In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi denied any transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, criticizing new sanctions imposed by the United States, Germany, Britain, and France. The latest sanctions target various sectors of the Iranian economy, including its national airline, Iran Air. Araqchi emphasized that sanctions would not provide a solution to the escalating situation.

The BRICS summit, expected to foster discussions on economic cooperation, will likely also address ongoing geopolitical tensions involving member and observer states, including Russia and Iran.