Unilateral Sanctions Impacting Food Security, People’s Welfare: Pezeshkian, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, on September 13, 2026.
• He criticized "unilateral sanctions" by Western powers, stating they directly impact global food security and people's welfare.
• Pezeshkian advocated for expanding trade in national currencies and strengthening the New Development Bank to enhance economic resilience among member states.
• He called for BRICS to play a greater role in building a more balanced, inclusive, and just international order.

Detailed Insights:

• The Iranian President emphasized that excessive dependence on existing financial and trade systems makes emerging economies vulnerable to political shocks.
• He linked economic resilience to security, citing military aggression against Iran as having potential regional and global repercussions.
• Pezeshkian highlighted the international community's responsibility to protect civilians and prevent the normalization of attacks on civilian targets.
• He urged BRICS to transform the scattered capacities of the Global South into shared capabilities to address global challenges.
• Iran's geopolitical position and its energy and transit capacities were offered as potential contributions to developing trade and energy corridors among BRICS members.
• Concerns were raised regarding unsustainable development that increases inequality or transfers today's costs to future generations, as well as the environmental consequences of war.
• Pezeshkian stressed knowledge and innovation, including artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, should serve as tools for empowering nations rather than instruments of domination.

Key Concepts Involved:

• BRICS: An intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and other recently added members, aiming to promote cooperation across various sectors.
• New Development Bank (NDB): A multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets.
• Unilateral Sanctions: Penalties imposed by one state without international consensus to influence another state's policies, often involving trade restrictions or financial barriers.
• Global South: A term referring to countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia (excluding some developed nations), and Oceania, often sharing common histories of colonialism and developmental challenges.