MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has talked with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari and Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kan about cooperation within BRICS, regarding the country’s upcoming membership of the group.

"They focused attention on cooperation within BRICS in the light of Iran’s forthcoming membership of the group, as well as Russia’s [BRICS] Chairmanship in 2024," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The sides confirmed their mutual willingness to promote cooperation in this format."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the meeting touched upon some other issues of bilateral interest.

BRICS is a group of countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The Johannesburg summit in August announced a decision to invite Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to become full members starting January 1, 2024.