Cape Town, June 3 (RHC)-- Iran's foreign minister has said that the members of the BRICS group of emerging economies have welcomed the Islamic Republic's potential accession to the powerful bloc.  "Given Iran's geopolitical position and capacities, the BRICS' main members welcomed Iran's accession to the group," Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told reporters in Cape Town on Friday.

The top diplomat was describing the achievements of his earlier participation in the Friends of BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in the South African capital, to which he had been invited.  BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group's members host around half of the world's population besides representing one-fifth of the global economy.

Iran is among more than a dozen countries that seek membership in the bloc and has submitted a formal application to join the body.  The Islamic Republic has described its objectives as in alignment with those of the BRICS countries.

Amir-Abdollahian said the meeting had featured, what he described as, "initiation of the preliminary steps for examination of Iran's request to join the group," adding that the Islamic Republic had managed to "express its positions" during the event.

He said he used the meeting to discuss the manner of Iran's potential membership in the BRICS, noting that a mechanism was being created to enable the prospect.

Last year, President Ebrahim Raeisi addressed the BRICS Business Forum’s virtual summit at China’s invitation, describing the Islamic Republic as a "sustainable [potential] partner" connecting the BRICS to energy chokepoints and major markets around the globe.