BRICS: Lula criticizes NATO and the ‘instrumentalization’ of the IAEA, in gestures towards Russia and Iran

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The Foreign Minister of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, expressed the country's divergence in relation to the BRICS Leaders' Declaration, adopted this Sunday, the 6th. The country decided to reaffirm its historic opposition to the existence of the State of Israel, and its support for a single Palestinian State.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses reservations on the two-state idea proposed in the final statement of the BRICS leaders and registers its reservations by sending a note,” Araghchi said, in what diplomacy usually considers an explanation of a separate vote. The BRICS final statement repeated the historic proposal to support two-state existence.

By presenting the note, the chancellor formally stopped preventing a declaration of consensus among the BRICS, which would be a sign of even more disagreement within the group and a diplomatic failure for Brazil.

He represented President Masoud Pezeshkian, who did not travel to Rio at the last minute because of the conflict with Israel. Iran had already reserved 70 hotel rooms for the presidential delegation, on three floors of the Windsor, in Barra da Tijuca.

During a working lunch with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Iranian foreign minister expressed the country's position on the Palestinian issue and asked the heads of state and government to be “realistic” and observe the situation on the ground.

“We all know that until the Palestinian issue is resolved fairly, their right to self-determination is guaranteed and the crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinians are stopped, insecurity and tension will not end in our region and peace and stability will not be established,” the minister said.

“The two-state solution, which has been repeated for years, has not gone anywhere, and it is clear to everyone that the Israeli regime itself is the biggest obstacle to its realization. Please be realistic. Look at the situation,” the foreign minister said.

He recalled that since the discussion of the partition of Palestine at the United Nations, his country has voted against it. This is also the official position adopted by the Islamic revolution, which treats the country as a “Zionist regime” or “Zionist entity,” such is the rivalry.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers that a just solution for Palestine would be a referendum with the participation of all the original inhabitants of Palestine, including Jews, Christians and Muslims, and this is not an unrealistic or unattainable solution,” he said.

Iran’s top diplomat compared the situation to the end of apartheid in South Africa, when “a democratic state emerged” with peaceful coexistence between blacks and whites. “In our opinion, the same pattern should be repeated in Palestine. The two-state solution will not work, just as it did not work in the past,” he said.

“In our opinion, the solution should be the formation of a single, democratic state in which the main inhabitants of Palestine, including Jews, Muslims and Christians, live together in peace, and this is the way to ensure justice, because without justice, the Palestinian problem will not be resolved, and without solving the Palestinian problem, other problems in the region will not be resolved,” he said.

In another speech, the minister thanked the BRICS leaders for raising their voices and condemning the bombings carried out by the United States and Israel.