Iran Proposes Idea of BRICS Information Network

In an address to the meeting of the BRICS foreign ministries’ spokespersons, held in Moscow on July 12, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani elaborated on Tehran’s proposals on the role of the bloc’s member states in the media and information dissemination in achieving objectives like establishing a just and multipolar world.

He also expounded on Iran’s views about the meeting’s agenda on various issues, including the collective move by the BRICS member states’ media to raise the bloc’s international standing and deepen the ties between the member states’ national media in order to establish a framework for a joint space for information dissemination, using the capabilities of digital and AI capabilities in public diplomacy and foreign policy, and countering the fake news and misleading information.

Kanaani then highlighted the need to establish a BRICS Information Network aimed at disseminating and exchanging information among BRICS member states, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

“Countering the currents that are against the member states’ free media activities in the West, countering misleading and fake news campaigns, countering the negative impacts of unilateral embargoes and unilateral hostile measures against member states by raising awareness on various aspects of the effects of sanctions, especially human rights aspects, can be among the functions of the information network,” he added.

“Levelling up the media coordination and cooperation between member states by linking up to the information and news networks of the members and establishing a mechanism for sharing news in the areas of interest of the parties seem to be necessary,” the Iranian spokesman added.

“Media diplomacy is now considered an inseparable part of diplomatic activities because the media is the most powerful tool for getting across the countries’ views, messages, and stances through their diplomats,” Kanaani noted.

“In the past, the dominating powers sought to attain their goals and interests by using military force and coercive measures, but in the present era, it is the media and virtual networks that win the hearts and minds of the audience, not by using force, but through messages,” he stated.

“In the meantime, the media belonging to the Western bloc, seek to mislead public opinion by false media campaigns, and we, as BRICS member states, can counter the destructive media currents by deepening the ties between the media through mobilizing our media and digital diplomacy capabilities in order to promote multilateralism and confront the Western unilateralism in the field of media,” the Iranian spokesman noted.

Kanaani further highlighted the important of the "cycle of mainstreaming and highlighting in the media", saying it is the most vital element in establishing media justice and health, pushing multilateralism forward, and creating a free, fair and constructive flow of media.

He then touched on the agenda of the meeting in creating joint mechanisms to take advantage of the media capabilities of the BRICS member states in achieving the bloc’s goals, saying, “Joint measures in promoting the goals and media coverage of the next BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, can be a joint maneuver to take a practical step in mobilizing the media capacities of the members towards common goals.”

Iran is one of the leading states in West Asia in developing the media, Kanaani stated, expressing Tehran’s readiness to collaborate in enhancing the BRICS’ standing in the world by using its media capacity.