Ali Akbar Ahmadian, secretary-general of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) of Iran, on Wednesday called for the China-dominated BRICS economic group to create “a new security structure in the international arena to help the order and security of the future world.”
Speaking at a BRICS forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Ahmadian proposed the creation of a “BRICS Security Commission” to address issues such as “terrorism, fundamentalism, narcotics, misappropriation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, maritime insecurity, human trafficking, unauthorized biological activities as well as threats in cyberspace.”
Since Iran is a fundamentalist theocracy that holds the world championship title for state sponsorship of terrorism, its terrorist proxy in Yemen is currently the greatest threat to maritime security on the planet and BRICS leader China is notorious for unauthorized biological activities and threatening cyberspace. The host of the BRICS security forum is currently waging a brutal invasion of its much smaller neighbor, the prospects of BRICS creating an effective commission to deal with those menaces are not encouraging.
Iran is apparently serious about putting together some kind of commission to formalize the sunset of the United States as a guarantor of world security. Ahmadian departed the BRICS security meeting in St. Petersburg to meet with Russian officials and he has scheduled a meeting with representatives from the expanded “BRICS+” list of associated nations and aspiring members, including Indonesia, Turkey, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council attends the meeting of BRICS and BRICS Plus High-Level Security Officials in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (Alexei Danichev/Photo host brics-russia2024.ru via AP)
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, and China – the first four members of the group – plus South Africa, the first member added after its creation. Iran, Argentina, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became members in early 2024. Saudi Arabia also verbally accepted membership but has not formalized its participation in the group. Argentina was invited to join but declined.
Adding Iran and Saudi Arabia to the roster was a diplomatic coup for China, which has touted the rapprochement it brokered between those feuding powers as a sign of Beijing’s ascension to the heights of global influence.
Even within BRICS, a “security commission” would feature significant disagreement from feuding powers China and India about what global security ought to look like. However their current diplomatic status might have improved, Iran and Saudi Arabia have some serious disagreements about security as well.
Ahmadian’s proposal did not appear to generate much enthusiasm, as his remarks were little-covered outside Iranian state media, but he was perpetuating the idea that the post-WWII security order is breathing its last gasps under the Biden-Harris administration. Iran is sponsoring piracy in the Red Sea, but Biden and Harris have proven entirely impotent to stop it. Something will eventually fill that security vacuum.
