The five nation BRICS club of emerging technologies that came together to tilt the international order away from the West announced its plan to expand its membership. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have been invited to join and start their membership in January. The group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa represent a quarter of the world’s economy and about 40% of the world’s population. 

Not all the BRICS members were supportive of the expansion, including India, Brazil, and South Africa. The decision to bring Iran to the group signals that Russia and China effectively pressured for its inclusion. American officials have sought to play down the impact of the group’s expansion plans. The United States has “strong positive” relations with Brazil, India, and South Africa.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/world/europe/brics-expansion-xi-lula.html