Tehran(Bazaar): Russia relies on Iran to facilitate its trade with India through the NSTC, the latter of which is its special and privileged strategic partner whose decisive intervention after the start of the special operation preemptively averted Moscow’s potentially disproportionate dependence on China, Andrew Korybko tells Bazaar in an exclusive interview.
He also says that this in turn enabled the Kremlin to safeguard it strategic autonomy, which is leading to it and India jointly forming a third pole of influence in the bi-multipolar intermediary phase of the global systemic transition to multipolarity together with Iran.
The interview is as follows:
Bazaar: Although Iran is not an official member of the BRICS group at all, rumors have been circulating for a long time about weakening Iran-China relations as well as isolating Iran. What is the importance of this group for Iran?
Korybko: Those rumors have no factual basis since both Great Powers signed a 25-year strategic partnership agreement in spring 2021. Regarding BRICS’ importance for Iran, the Islamic Republic closely cooperates with its core of RIC: Russia, India, and China.
In fact, Iran sits in the center of their converging Eurasian connectivity projects. These are the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, which can also be called the Central Asian Silk Road, and the North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC) between Russia and India. These three Great Powers are Iran’s top partners anywhere in the world.
Bazaar: The role of BRICS in upholding multilateralism and advancing the world to a more peaceful and prosperous future has been lauded. What is your opinion?
BRICS is an influential multipolar integration platform focusing mostly on economic and financial cooperation.
Its role is to gradually transform the declining unipolar world order into a multipolar world so that International Relations can become more equal, fair, and just. The long-term goal is to transition the Western-centric model of globalization into one centered on the Global South.
Bazaar: An exceptional and unique opportunity has been created for Tehran to join the BRICS organization, and if it becomes operational, most of the sanctions will be ineffective. What is your opinion on this?
Korybko: It’s unlikely that Iran will join BRICS as an official member anytime soon, but it doesn’t have to formally participate in the group in order to derive benefits from its RIC core. Those three Great Powers – Russia, India, and China – are already Iran’s top strategic partners anywhere in the world as was already explained in the first answer. Regarding the compliance with the US’ unilateral and therefore illegal sanctions, it’s every country’s right whether to enforce them or risk being targeted with so-called “secondary sanctions”.
That said, the RIC countries’ interests are best served by not complying with those economic and financial restrictions. Iran is integral to each of their Eurasian connectivity projects, which in turn accelerate the global systemic transition to multipolarity.
Moreover, the Islamic Republic is the irreplaceable transit state for facilitating Russian-Indian trade through the NSTC, which is quickly resulting in them merging into a trilateral axis for creating a third pole of influence in what Indian thinker Sanjaya Baru described as the bi-multipolar world order two years ago.
Bazaar:"Russia is actively shifting its foreign trade and economic agreements to trusted international partners, especially the BRICS countries", Putin said in a speech at the BRICS summit. What effect will Iran's membership in the BRICS have on the development of the Islamic Republic's relations with Russia?
Korybko: Once again, it can’t be taken for granted that Iran will formally join BRICS anytime soon. Having clarified that, as was explained in the preceding answer, it’s a moot point whether it becomes an official member or not.
Russia relies on Iran to facilitate its trade with India through the NSTC, the latter of which is its special and privileged strategic partner whose decisive intervention after the start of the special operation preemptively averted Moscow’s potentially disproportionate dependence on China.
This in turn enabled the Kremlin to safeguard it strategic autonomy, which is leading to it and India jointly forming a third pole of influence in the bi-multipolar intermediary phase of the global systemic transition to multipolarity together with Iran. This trilateral Great Power axis cuts through the center of Eurasia and thus has unparalleled geostrategic potential so long as it’s properly leveraged by each country’s leadership.
Bazaar: If the development of trade relations between Russia, India and China continues, the three organizations of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the BRICS could set up a joint financial exchange mechanism as soon as possible due to the problem of sanctions. Iran can benefit from membership in BRICS, Tehran can also benefit from this mechanism for its trade exchanges. What is your assessment?
Korybko: To reiterate an important point, there’s no guarantee that Iran will formally join BRICS in the coming future, but it can still benefit from the bloc and especially its RIC core as was already explained. The issue of sanctions compliance was already touched upon, which to remind the reader, is each country’s sovereign right in accordance with whatever their leadership regards as their objective national interests. The trend, however, is to ignore those sanctions due to Iran’s importance for Russia, India, and China’s Eurasian connectivity projects that accelerate the emerging Multipolar World Order.
Bazaar: Do you think that the development of Tehran's trade relations with Russia and China can depend on Iran's membership in the BRICS?
Korybko: Absolutely not since neither has made Iran’s membership in that bloc a precondition for strategically cooperating with it as proven by their existing cooperation on issues of mutual interest.
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