Chamran, who has traveled to Russia to attend the signing ceremony of the Parliamentary Movement of the BRICS Capitals and the BRICS Urban Future Forum, said on Monday that bilateral relations date back to 2004, when the two cities first established official contacts and signed a sister-city agreement.
Following his meeting with Chairman of Moscow’s City Duma Aleksei Shaposhnikov, the Iranian official highlighted the mutual desire to enhance collaboration between the capitals. He said that stronger intercity relations among BRICS member states could reinforce the bloc’s efforts to counter unilateralism.
Chamran stressed that the success of BRICS will deepen when cooperation extends beyond national governments to include cities and citizens, fostering solidarity among the peoples of member nations. This unity, he said, could empower independent nations to stand together against Western unilateral policies, particularly those led by the United States.
The Moscow City Duma hosted the signing ceremony, attended by representatives from Tehran, Moscow, Addis Ababa, Havana, Minsk, and Tshwane, with Beijing also supporting the initiative. The declaration aims to build an international mechanism for dialogue among city councils of BRICS capitals.
The BRICS Urban Future Forum will open Wednesday in St. Petersburg, gathering delegates from over 70 countries to exchange best practices and promote sustainable urban development.
IRNA