BRICS and Russia’s Role in Deepening the Gap between Iran and the West

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Political Science, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Student in Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22126/mps.2025.12680.1084

Abstract

The establishment of the BRICS group in 2009 in Russia, and its subsequent expansion with the accession of South Africa, reflects the efforts of emerging powers to create an alternative to the financial and political institutions derived from the Bretton Woods system. By leveraging their economic, demographic, and geopolitical capacities, the members of this organization seek to weaken the structural monopoly of Western institutions over the international financial system and to establish independent mechanisms in monetary, banking, and development domains. From this perspective, BRICS can be considered a prominent example of institutional resistance by emerging powers against the dominant liberal order and an endeavor toward a gradual transition to a multipolar world system. The Islamic Republic of Iran was officially recognized as a BRICS member in January 2024. Its distancing from the West prompted Iran to pursue preferential trade agreements and economic convergence with regional countries. However, previously, the Eurasian triangle of BRICS—namely Russia, India, and China—was a key factor in preventing Iran’s membership in this international organization. By keeping Iran outside BRICS, these countries sought to maintain secure conditions in political and economic arenas, as the sanctions imposed on Iran had previously hindered its ability to implement its policies effectively.The central research question of this study is: What potential benefits does Iran’s membership in BRICS provide for Russia, and how has Iran’s distancing from the West advantaged the Eurasian triangle, particularly Russia? The research hypothesis posits that Iran’s membership in BRICS primarily increases its distance from Western markets, which constitutes significant economic and geopolitical benefits for Russia. This article aims to examine Russia’s objectives regarding Iran’s BRICS membership through the lens of Offensive Realism, employing an analytical-descriptive research methodology.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 24 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 12 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 19 September 2025

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