TEHRAN- Iran’s Minister of Agriculture said: BRICS is Iran's strategic partner; half of our country's agricultural imports and one-third of its agricultural exports are carried out with members of this group.

According to IRNA reported on Friday, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, on the sidelines of the first day of the BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Summit, emphasizing the extensive capacities of this group in ensuring sustainable food security, stated: The Islamic Republic of Iran, despite external pressures and unjust aggression in the form of unilateral sanctions, has succeeded in maintaining its food security by relying on domestic capabilities and adopting smart policies.

He said: We have informed the BRICS members that Iran's experiences in achieving production stability under difficult conditions can be exchanged and shared as a successful model. In this regard, the effective role of Iranian women and youth in advancing the goals of the agricultural sector has been a prominent part of our achievements.

Nouri noted: Our trade statistics prove that Iran's connection with BRICS member countries is deep and strategic. Currently, about $25 billion of Iran's agricultural trade volume is conducted with the members of this group, which includes half of our country's agricultural imports and one-third of its agricultural exports.

He emphasized: These figures demonstrate the heartfelt and practical commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to developing and deepening cooperation.

The Minister of Agriculture continued: In line with achieving the lofty goals of this summit, the Islamic Republic of Iran has proposed the following as key axes for increasing cooperation, and fortunately, they were also approved in the final resolution.

He explained: We proposed that a common BRICS agricultural commodity exchange be established for price transparency and the elimination of international intermediaries. Also, to accelerate trade, we proposed creating an independent financial and banking mechanism among BRICS members.

Nouri Ghezeljeh stated: Iran's proposals were welcomed by the members, and we are ready to develop technical cooperation and transfer agricultural knowledge.

The BRICS group, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has emerged in the last two decades as a political and economic force against the Western-led global order, especially the United States.

This group, founded in 2009, was formed with the aim of reducing the dominance of Western financial institutions and increasing the influence of developing countries in the international system. In the past year or two, especially with the expansion of its membership and the joining of countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia, BRICS has emerged as a more serious challenge to America's economic hegemony.

* BRICS is world's largest capacity for agricultural cooperation

The Minister of Agriculture wrote in a message on one of the social networks: BRICS today is the world's largest capacity for agricultural cooperation.

According to IRNA reported on Friday, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh wrote on his X social media account: I participated in the BRICS summit in India with the agenda "Food security and support for small farmers".

He added: BRICS today is the world's largest capacity for agricultural cooperation.

Nouri emphasized: In this summit, we will participate not just as a member, but as an influential actor.

MA