Saudi, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran & Egypt join BRICS; Argentina denies

Five of the six invited countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, and Egypt, confirmed joining the BRICS bloc. South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor announced this, revealing that Argentina, the sixth nation invited, declined the invitation to the bloc. The BRICS bloc was established by China, Russia, India, and Brazil in 2009 and was joined by South Africa later.