Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hosting the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and making "valuable efforts" to strengthen cooperation among member countries. Pezeshkian was addressing the BRICS Business Forum ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, where he shared the stage with leaders including Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I would like to sincerely thank the friendly government and people of India for graciously hosting this meeting, as well as the Honourable Prime Minister of India for his valuable efforts to strengthen BRICS cooperation," Pezeshkian said.
He said it was a matter of satisfaction to be among representatives of the private sector, businesses and entrepreneurs who could turn BRICS' plans for cooperation into tangible economic outcomes.
"It is a source of great satisfaction for me to be present today among representatives of the private sector, business enterprises, and entrepreneurs who can transform the idea of cooperation within BRICS into tangible economic realities," he added.
Pezeshkian also drew attention to the ongoing conflict in West Asia and its human and economic consequences, arguing that economic security cannot be separated from national and regional security.
"Economic security is inseparable from national and regional security, and whenever a country's trade, energy, infrastructure, or financial system is under political-military pressure, its effects will go beyond that country's borders," he was quoted as saying by Iran's Mehr news agency.
He said disruptions to supply chains and the growing use of economic measures as a means of political pressure had made the global economic environment more complicated.
"The question is, what is the BRICS response to these problems?" Pezeshkian asked.
According to Pezeshkian, the real strength of BRICS lies not only in the combined economic size of its members but in their ability to turn that potential into practical cooperation in trade, investment and financing.
He said Iran believed economic resilience required countries to diversify their trade partners, sources of finance and payment channels.
Pezeshkian referred to the sanctions faced by Iran and said the pressure had intensified in recent months following what he described as "military aggression of the United States and the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran".
"This aggression, in addition to the human and material losses, has once again revealed an important reality: economic security is inseparable from national and regional security," he said.
He added that pressure on a country's trade, energy, infrastructure or financial system could have consequences beyond its borders, affecting regional stability and the global economy.
Pezeshkian called on BRICS countries to create mechanisms that would protect legitimate trade from disruptions caused by monopolies over financial instruments or technology.
"To increase intra-BRICS trade, we must move from fragmented cooperation to gradual integration of trade infrastructures," he said.
He proposed measures including the digitisation of trade, integration of customs processes, reducing regulatory and administrative barriers, developing markets and encouraging joint investment by the private sector.
Iran also proposed the creation of a BRICS joint reinsurance company with an initial capital of $10 billion to cover risks linked to major infrastructure and energy projects.
"Another specific proposal from the Islamic Republic of Iran is to establish a BRICS joint reinsurance company with an initial capital of $10 billion to cover the risk of large infrastructure and energy projects and increase confidence in the private sector," Pezeshkian said.
He also stressed the need for BRICS countries to play a greater role in the development of artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
"BRICS should not be just consumers of technology, but should also play a role in producing knowledge and shaping standards for the digital economy," he said, adding that cybersecurity for critical infrastructure should also be strengthened.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.
Facts Only
* Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi.
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin were present.
* Pezeshkian thanked India and Prime Minister Modi for hosting the event and strengthening cooperation.
* The event took place ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit.
* Pezeshkian proposed the creation of a BRICS joint reinsurance company with $10 billion in initial capital.
* Proposals for trade integration included digitization, customs integration, and reducing administrative barriers.
* Pezeshkian called for BRICS involvement in producing artificial intelligence and shaping digital economy standards.
* The Iranian president cited U.S. and Israeli "military aggression" against Iran.
* Pezeshkian argued that economic security is inseparable from national and regional security.
* Iran advocated for the diversification of trade partners, financing sources, and payment channels.
Executive Summary
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for deeper economic integration among BRICS nations during the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi. Emphasizing the link between economic and national security, Pezeshkian argued that political and military pressures on a state's financial systems have global repercussions, specifically citing recent tensions and military aggression involving the United States and Israel.
To mitigate these risks, Iran proposed several structural shifts, most notably the establishment of a $10 billion joint reinsurance company to protect large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. Other recommendations include digitizing trade, integrating customs processes, and moving BRICS from being mere consumers of technology to producers of AI and digital economy standards. This push for "economic resilience" reflects Iran's strategic interest in diversifying payment channels and trade partners to bypass existing sanctions and monopolies over financial instruments.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative is a sovereign state seeking to insulate itself and its partners from the hegemony of Western financial systems. By proposing a joint reinsurance company and integrated trade infrastructures, Iran is attempting to build a parallel economic architecture that treats "economic security" as a defensive shield against geopolitical pressure.
The narrative relies on the premise that financial instruments and technology are currently monopolized, framing the BRICS bloc as a necessary counter-weight to ensure regional stability. This reflects a broader shift toward multipolarity, where economic interdependence is viewed not as a guarantee of peace, but as a potential vulnerability to be managed through diversification.
Rooted in the paradigm of "economic resilience," the unstated assumption is that the current global financial order is inherently weaponized. This echoes historical patterns of non-aligned movements seeking autonomy from superpower influence. The second-order consequence is the potential fragmentation of global trade standards into competing blocs, which may increase resilience for member states but could complicate global regulatory cohesion.
Patterns detected: none
If this were an influence campaign, the playbook would focus on "Sanewashing" by framing political grievances as technical economic proposals (e.g., using "reinsurance" as a vehicle for geopolitical alignment). However, the content here is a standard diplomatic address; it presents specific proposals and stated grievances without structural manipulation of the reader.
Bridge Questions:
1. To what extent can a $10 billion fund effectively neutralize the impact of global financial sanctions?
2. How would the integration of BRICS trade infrastructures affect the economic sovereignty of the smaller member nations?
3. What specific "standards" for the digital economy would the BRICS bloc propose that differ from current global norms?