A spokesman revealed that Iran has applied to join the group of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.

At a press conference on Monday, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that the Islamic Republic had submitted its application for membership in the BRICS. A series of consultations have taken place in this regard, according to Saeed Khatibzadeh.

He stated that, while the BRICS is not a treaty or an international agreement, they are based on a very creative mechanism with broad implications.

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The BRICS members account for 30% of global gross output and 40% of the global population, according to the spokesperson. He expressed hope that Iran's BRICS membership would result in "added values" for both sides.

On Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi addressed a virtual summit of the BRICS Business Forum, which was attended by the group's top leaders, and expressed his country's willingness to share its vast capabilities and potential to help the BRICS achieve its goals. He was invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the periodic BRICS president.

Raisi will also outline Tehran's standpoint on international issues as well as the development of trade and economic cooperation with other states.

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At a virtual summit of the BRICS Business Forum, Raisi delivered a speech in which he spoke of Iran's willingness to use its unique energy reserves, wealth, manpower, and transportation networks to help BRICS achieve its goals. 

He started off by congratulating Xi Jinping, China's president, on holding the summit and inviting Iran to the dialogue, then went on to address a few points in the conference, which went under the title "Participating in Global Development in the New Era".

Raisi continued to praise BRICS by saying that it has played an effective role in developing South-South relations and advancing economic initiatives that connect continents, such as the One Belt-One Road Initiative.