News - Middle East: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will head for Russia to participate in a BRICS summit, according to the director of the public relations of the presidential office.

Habibollah Abbasi said on Saturday that the Iranian president is to leave Tehran on Tuesday and is scheduled to deliver a speech at the 16th annual 2024 BRICS summit, which will take place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22-24.

He added that on the sidelines of the summit, Pezeshkian will have meetings with a number of presidents from other participating countries, including his Russian and Chinese counterparts Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

During his stay in Russia, Abbasi noted, the Iranian president also plans to attend some other subsidiary meetings.

Kazan next destination of Iran’s diplomatic bids: FM Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Kazan will be the next destination of Iran’s diplomatic efforts as President Pezeshkian is to meet with some of his counterparts from BRICS member states, including Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa, and other top officials participating in the summit.

“Now there is a common consensus and concern among the regional countries about the attacks and crimes which the Zionist regime is carrying out in Gaza and Lebanon,” Araghchi, who is the Turkish city of Istanbul to attend the third meeting of the 3+3 regional cooperation platform, told IRNA on Saturday.

He described the BRICS Summit as a “very appropriate opportunity” for diplomatic consultations with different countries, saying Iran will seize this chance.

He added that a collective understanding among the regional countries about the Israeli regime’s policies will prompt them to take actions.

Pointing to “very effective” consultations which are underway among regional and extra-regional countries, the top Iranian diplomat emphasized that “a united voice has emerged at the international level to stop the conflict in Lebanon and Gaza and establish a ceasefire.”

“This voice is getting stronger every day,” Araghchi said.

Iran officially joined BRICS at the beginning of 2024, five months after it announced its acceptance as full member into the group along with Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

BRICS was formed by and initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It collectively represents around 40% of the global population and a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP).

During its BRICS presidency this year, Russia has said it will focus on "promoting the entire range of partnership and cooperation within the framework of the association on three key tracks – politics and security, the economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian ties."

Press TV