Pezeshkian made the remarks in a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday.

“Expanding economic and financial relations among BRICS member states can lead to the development of these countries, and everyone should take steps toward increasing interactions,” the president said.

Pezeshkian also referred to the “unfair” US-Israeli war of aggression on Iran, saying attempts to create divisions among the Iranian people has instead made them more united.

“By resisting, the Iranian people will not allow the United States and Israel to achieve their sinister objectives,” he said, adding that Iran has strengthened ties with Muslim and neighboring countries.

He described Iran-Ethiopia relations as having a history of more than 70 years, saying the two countries have always stood by each other and that their relations would become more cohesive and systematic.

Abiy, for his part, expressed condolences over the martyrdom of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and praised the Iranian people’s resistance, resilience, and patriotism, saying Ethiopians wanted to learn from them.

He also called for expanded economic and cultural ties with Iran.