Qatar Hopes Recent US-Iran Agreement Leads to Nuclear Dialogue

Qatar Hopes Recent US-Iran Agreement Leads to Nuclear Dialogue

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the BRICS expansion tops the agenda of the meetings of the leaders of the group that began to gather on Tuesday, in Johannesburg, amid expectations that the talks would lead to the accession of new countries, including Saudi Arabia – BRICS’ biggest commercial partner in the Middle East.

Twenty-three countries have applied to join the economic coalition, according to South African officials.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed that his country has resisted pressure to take sides with the world’s influential powers, despite the severe crises that are burdening the African Continent.

The aim of BRICS expansion is to “search for alternatives” of the current global balance of power, according to Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.

Economic and political observers talked about the benefits that the BRICS would gain with the accession of a country that enjoys economic and strategic weight in the region.

They emphasized that looking at Riyadh as the main player in the world’s energy markets, and one of the largest economies in the G20, and the fastest growing economy in the Middle East, would encourage the BRICS to warmly welcome Riyadh’s accession, noting that such move would directly reflect on