Despite facing protests, closer ties with Russia, and halted nuclear negotiations, Iran has managed to ease its global isolation by securing membership in the BRICS group of emerging economies, a significant but limited achievement for the Iranian government.
This development follows the normalization of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in March, a recent prisoner exchange deal with the United States, and the release of US$6 billion belonging to Tehran.
These events provide some respite to the government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who is unpopular among citizens due to the poor economic state marked by rampant inflation and a continuously depreciating rial.
Analyst Sasan Karimi from the University of Tehran expressed to the EFE agency that Iran’s BRICS membership brings political hope and indirectly places Iran in a more confident position in nuclear talks.
Iranologist Raffaele Mauriello sees the BRICS membership as a success for Raisi’s government and Iran, indicating that the nation is not as isolated internationally as before.
Mauriello also noted Iran’s previous inclusion in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the inclusion of Iran, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE in BRICS at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.
While Iranian authorities hailed this as a strategic victory, experts Karimi and Mauriello warned that it only eases political isolation.
They noted that the economic benefits, particularly concerning unilateral U.S. sanctions, will only materialize in the long term.
Mauriello highlighted that Iran’s economic problems due to sanctions remain a significant international issue, compounded by internal challenges such as mismanagement, corruption, and political unrest triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini.