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The BRICS alliance is taking steps to strengthen unity and cooperation among its member countries, despite criticism from some nations. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of safeguarding sovereignty, security, and development interests during a meeting with top security officials in St. Petersburg.

“We need to take into account each other’s core interests and major concerns, safeguard our respective sovereignty, security, and development interests,” Wang said.

The conference comes ahead of a BRICS summit next month in Kazan, which is expected to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The alliance was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It has recently expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, with Saudi Arabia considering membership and Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Malaysia having formally applied.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of Iran’s national security council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, accused the United States of expanding terrorism and violating the sovereignty and independence of other nations. He made the comments during a meeting of BRICS countries discussing security issues, claiming that the US and its allies are “misusing technology and science” in a way that poses a threat to international peace and security.

The comments come a day after the US accused Iran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine, announcing new sanctions on Moscow and Tehran. Iran’s foreign ministry has denied providing ballistic missiles to Russia.

The BRICS alliance aims to promote economic growth, improve global governance, and enhance international cooperation. Its expansion has been seen as a response to the rise of the US-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and the increasing rivalry between the US and China.