Tianjin — Iran’s defense minister, Amir Aziz Nasirzadeh, declared on Monday that global blocs such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS have become vital instruments to push back against Western unilateralism. His remarks, delivered as world leaders gathered in China for the SCO summit, underscored a growing consensus among member states that collective institutions of the Global South can reshape international order and insulate their economies from Western coercion.
Nasirzadeh emphasized that both SCO and BRICS have already proven their ability to create avenues for cooperation across security, economic, and political fronts during 16 BRICS Summit in Russia. By pooling resources and building new networks, he argued, these blocs provide member nations with the tools to resist sanctions, reduce reliance on Western-controlled institutions, and foster more equitable forms of governance.
Iran’s presence in these organizations carries particular weight. Since formally joining the SCO in 2023 and entering BRICS in 2024, Tehran has positioned itself at the heart of what it views as a multipolar alternative to Western dominance. Officials in Tehran argue that participation in these multilateral frameworks not only bolsters the country’s diplomatic standing but also creates a shield against the sweeping sanctions imposed by Washington and its allies.
The Iranian defense minister pointed to the SCO’s founding principles as being rooted in respect for sovereignty and collective security. In his view, these values stand in stark contrast to Western practices, where unilateral sanctions and military interventions have repeatedly destabilized entire regions, from the Middle East to Eastern Europe.
The timing of Nasirzadeh’s comments coincided with a renewed effort by SCO leaders to redefine the bloc’s role in global governance. Chinese president Xi Jinping used the summit in Tianjin to call for an inclusive international order, unveiling new economic initiatives that include development loans, energy cooperation, and proposals for an SCO development bank. Such moves reflect a broader strategy: transforming the organization from a regional security club into a driver of global economic growth and political balance.
Meanwhile, BRICS continues its rapid evolution. The group’s expansion to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia has dramatically widened its scope, strengthening its claim as the world’s most prominent South-South cooperation platform. Institutions such as the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement are increasingly seen as credible alternatives to Western-controlled financial structures like the IMF and the World Bank.
The combined weight of SCO and BRICS signals a strategic convergence. Both organizations, though distinct in origin, are advancing parallel missions—building cooperative mechanisms to reduce dependency on Western economies and challenging the primacy of US-led alliances. For Iran, Russia, and China, this is not only about economics but also about rewriting the rules of global order.
Analysts note that Western states have long relied on the dominance of the dollar and NATO’s military reach to project influence across the world. By coordinating through SCO and BRICS, emerging powers are seeking to loosen that grip and create what Nasirzadeh called “new regional alliances,” aimed at restoring balance and fairness in international affairs.
For Washington and Brussels, these developments represent more than diplomatic rhetoric. If the SCO and BRICS can successfully coordinate infrastructure development, expand trade in local currencies, and establish parallel financial institutions, Western leverage through sanctions may diminish significantly. Such a shift would complicate US foreign policy, particularly in regions like the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, where Western dominance has already faced mounting resistance.
Russia, still locked in the Ukraine conflict and facing relentless sanctions from the West, has thrown its weight behind these efforts. For Moscow, deepening ties with Beijing, Tehran, and other Global South partners is seen as an indispensable lifeline and an opportunity to reshape the global balance of power.
The convergence of SCO and BRICS reflects a profound realignment of global politics, one that Iran has embraced as both a shield against Western coercion and a platform to project its own influence. According to Mehr News, Defense Minister Amir Aziz Nasirzadeh stressed that these institutions are not merely symbolic, but practical vehicles through which member nations can protect their sovereignty and foster stability in the face of Western unilateralism, a stance now echoed widely across Asia and beyond.
