JOHANNESBURG, August 24. /TASS/. BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) support a diplomatic settlement of the conflict around the Iranian nuclear program, the final declaration of the union’s 15th summit said.

"We reiterate the need to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through peaceful and diplomatic means in accordance with the international law, and stress the importance of preserving the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - TASS) and the UNSCR 2231 to international non-proliferation as well as wider peace and stability and hope for relevant parties to restore the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA at an early date," the declaration, dubbed Johannesburg-2, said.

The BRICS summit is taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 22-24 and is the largest gathering of Global South heads of state and government in recent years. Its guests include the leaders of 54 African countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin is participating in the event via video link, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is onsite representing Russia in person.

Situation around nuclear deal

In 2015, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany (the 5+1 format) reached a nuclear deal with Iran in order to address the crisis around its nuclear program. In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump decided to pull out of the agreement, with Washington slapping its most sweeping sanctions ever on Tehran. Incumbent US President Joe Biden has repeatedly indicated his support for reentering the nuclear deal.

Since last April, Russia, the UK, Germany, China, the US and France have been conducting discussions with Iran in Vienna on reviving the JCPOA in its original form. In November 2022, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that the latest round of talks with Iranian officials in the Austrian capital ended without achieving any specific results.