Tehran, June 8 : Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash said on Friday that full membership in BRICS was a “historic progress” and “strategic success” for the country’s foreign policy, according to the official news agency IRNA.
He made the remarks during a video conference of the BRICS transport ministers held on the sidelines of the 27th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum currently underway in the Russian city, the report said. Bazrpash noted that by joining BRICS, Iran took a fundamental step towards expanding its relations with the group’s member states in the areas of transportation, trade and economy. He stressed that the BRICS policies and programs, which were reflected in the mechanism’s statements and documents, demonstrated its capacity to address a wide range of issues relevant to the concerns of developing countries. Noting that BRICS is a leading institution comprising major emerging economies, the Iranian minister said that with their complementary economies and cultural diversity, the BRICS members could meet each other’s needs and exchange development experiences, thereby enhancing global prosperity and peace. Bazrpash also highlighted Iran’s geographical advantages, noting its strategic location at the intersection of transit corridors in the region. With 11 trade ports capable of handling 273 million tons of goods along its northern and southern coasts, a 15,000-km rail network and over 250,000 km of high-quality roads, the minister said Iran was positioned to facilitate rapid connectivity within regional and global trade networks at minimal expenses. The BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market cooperative mechanism that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Iran’s full membership in the group took effect on January 1.(Agencies)
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