Iranian, Russian FMs mull issues of mutual interest

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the margins of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Foreign Ministers' meeting in Cape Town.

TASS reports citing the statement published on June 2 in the Telegram channel of the Iranian foreign ministry that the sides discussed several issues of bilateral, regional, and international agenda of mutual interest.

Earlier, the "Friends of BRICS" met in Cape Town at the level of foreign ministers to discuss various forms of cooperation between BRICS and countries interested in joining the union. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of the BRICS countries and 12 countries of the Global South that have expressed a desire to join the group: Argentina, Bangladesh, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Venezuela.

The day before, the BRICS foreign ministers met in Cape Town to consider, among other things, the concept of expanding the group. The ministers decided to send the document for revision, instructing the Sherpas to submit it for the 15th BRICS summit in August.