TEHRAN – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Akbar Ahmadian, has arrived in Brazil to participate in key discussions with fellow BRICS member states, as the group of emerging economies moves to deepen political, economic, and security cooperation.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Ahmadian is set to hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings in Rio de Janeiro with officials from other BRICS countries. The talks will focus on strategic issues, including regional developments in West Asia and the enhancement of security frameworks within the expanding BRICS alliance.

The visit comes as Brazil prepares to assume the rotating BRICS presidency in 2025 and take on a central role in hosting upcoming organizational meetings.

Founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the BRICS group has recently expanded to include Iran, Egypt, the UAE, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. In addition, nine other countries — including Cuba, Belarus, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan — have been designated as partner nations, providing them with access to BRICS-led initiatives and forums.

Several more countries, among them Turkey and Azerbaijan, have submitted formal applications for full membership, reflecting growing interest in the group’s vision for a more balanced global order.

Since its formation, BRICS has positioned itself as a platform for promoting the interests of the Global South and reforming international institutions often dominated by Western powers. With a combined population of 3.5 billion and an aggregate economy valued at over $28.5 trillion — roughly 28% of global GDP — BRICS is increasingly seen as a counterweight to traditional geopolitical blocs.

Ahmadian’s visit underscores Iran’s active engagement in this multilateral framework and highlights the bloc’s rising significance amid calls from developing nations to reshape the current world order.