Iran marked its National Army Day on Friday with military parades taking place across the country. Attending a parade held in Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the development of the military would help Iran assert its views powerfully in the region and assist in engaging in dialogue with other countries for peace and stability.
He emphasized that without powerful military forces, Iran's enemies would attempt to destroy the country.
"At the beginning of the Iranian Revolution, we depended on foreign countries for all of our equipment. Now we are proud of our efforts in building and equipping our powerful armed forces. Progress has been made in all the equipment needed for the defense of our nation, and we now have strong naval, ground and air forces," said Pezeshkian.
In addition to formations of soldiers, Iran displayed dozens of unmanned reconnaissance and combat aircraft at the parade, as well as various types of weapons and equipment such as tanks, artillery and missiles.
Analysts believe that the military parades indicate Iran's determination to safeguard its national interests through its own capabilities while at the same time showcasing its military strength to the outside world, especially to the United States, ahead of the upcoming second round of Iran-U.S. negotiations on the nuclear issue.
The second round of U.S.-Iran indirect negotiations will be held in Rome on Saturday, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The two sides will discuss Tehran's nuclear issues and Washington's sanctions.
Iran holds military parades to mark National Army Day
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that BRICS countries need to strengthen unity and cooperation to act as the most reliable force in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the statement at the 15th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.
He stated that once-in-a-century changes are unfolding across the world at a faster pace, with new challenges, changes, and problems constantly emerging.
Yet regardless of how the international landscape changes, peace and stability remain a common pursuit of the international community, development and prosperity are always a common expectation of all countries, and seeking strength through unity among the Global South is always an unstoppable historical trend, he said.
Wang said that under the new global circumstances, more and more countries are willing to listen to the voice of BRICS and hope to join the BRICS family. The development of BRICS represents the growth of peace forces, the strengthening of development forces, and the empowerment of the forces of justice in the world.
BRICS countries must stand at the forefront of the times, strengthen unity and cooperation, demonstrate the assumption of responsibility, and promote the significant role of greater BRICS cooperation, to act as the most reliable force in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, he noted.
Wang stated that a transactional approach in international politics and weaponizing global trade will only aggravate the trust crisis among countries and jeopardize global security.
Standing at the crossroads of history, BRICS countries must provide a clear answer: should they allow unilateralism to spread unchecked, or steadfastly champion for multilateralism, Wang said.
Concession leads nowhere and unity is where the hope lies, he added.
Wang said that BRICS countries should hold high the banner of multilateralism, take the lead in safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and promote development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.
Other parties at the meeting agreed that BRICS countries should build consensus and make joint efforts to oppose all forms of bullying, interventionism and tariff abuse, adhere to multilateralism, defend the common interests of the Global South, and work together to build a multipolar world of peace, security, fairness and justice.
BRICS countries should become reliable force in safeguarding developing countries' rights: FM
