TEHRAN, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that BRICS can help lay the groundwork for "fair and balanced" cooperation at the global level.

He made the remarks at a meeting with visiting Speaker of the Ethiopian House of Representatives Tagesse Chafo in Tehran, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

Both Iran and Ethiopia officially joined BRICS in January 2024.

Pezeshkian described BRICS as a multilateral framework and a valuable and strategic platform for expanding interactions, deepening economic and political ties, and confronting unilateral approaches in the international system.

"BRICS can provide a new communication model based on mutual respect for states' national sovereignty, territorial integrity and diverse cultures and civilizations, and prepare the ground for fair and balanced cooperation at the global level," he said.

Pezeshkian voiced Iran's readiness to play a role in establishing and strengthening sustainable peace and security in the region, advocating for a world free from war, violence and conflict. He added that individuals with deep insight into human nature prefer dialogue and cooperation over confrontation.

He stressed that Iran was ready to expand its relations with Ethiopia in the economic, diplomatic, cultural and security fields, noting that the targeted use of existing institutional mechanisms could accelerate bilateral cooperation.

For his part, Chafo said Ethiopia is determined to increase economic exchanges and expand joint investments with Iran and make effective use of BRICS mechanisms, including its New Development Bank, to strengthen the foundations of economic and financial cooperation between the two countries. ■