BRICS expansion: UAE President thanks the bloc's leadership, Iran hails the 'historic move'

UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that his country looks forward to working with BRICS for the benefit of all. He also thanked the BRICS leadership for including UAE in the grouping. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote, "We respect the vision of the BRICS leadership and appreciate the inclusion of the UAE as a member to this important group. We look forward to a continued commitment of cooperation for the prosperity, dignity and benefit of all nations and people around the world."

His reaction came hours after BRICS group of nations on Thursday decided to include six new members- Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India welcomed the new members Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE into the BRICS family.


"On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, we have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported this expansion. Such an expansion will make BRICS stronger and more effective," PM Modi said in a tweet.

The new membership will be effective from January 1, 2024.

BRICS was set up in 2009 as a group of emerging market economies - Brazil, Russia, India, and China - and later in 2010 South Africa was inducted into the group.

The group currently represents around 40% of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s GDP. After inclusion of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran next year, BRICS will include three of the world’s biggest oil exporters.

Mohammad Jamshidi, the deputy Chief of Staff for Political Affairs to Iranian president Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, called the decision to add his country “a historic move.”

“A strategic victory for Iran’s foreign policy,” Jamshidi wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “Felicitations to the Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution and great nation of Iran.”