BEIJING (Dispatches) -- China and Russia on Tuesday welcomed future expansion of the powerful group of the world’s emerging economies, known as BRICS, to include Iran, which has formally applied to join the bloc. “We noticed that many countries, including Iran and Argentina, have favorably expressed their will to join BRICS,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press conference. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also welcomed applications by Tehran and Buenos Aires, calling the countries “worthy and respected candidates”.