BRICS Divide Over Iran War at New Delhi Talks

BRICS foreign ministers convened in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day meeting as the expanding bloc grapples with internal divisions over the war in Iran, rising energy prices and growing global economic uncertainty. India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who chairs the group this year, opened the talks by stating that emerging and developing countries increasingly expect BRICS to play a constructive and stabilizing role amid what he described as considerable flux in international relations. The meeting comes as the US-Israeli war against Iran has disrupted global energy supplies and driven up oil prices, coinciding with President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told reporters on Wednesday that disagreements within BRICS over the Iran conflict have prevented the bloc from reaching a unified position, accusing unnamed member countries of pushing for language condemning Tehran. "One country is insisting on condemning Iran," Gharibabadi said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is attending the meeting, called on other BRICS members to unequivocally condemn the US and Israeli attacks against Iran. The tensions are particularly acute between Iran and the UAE, both BRICS members with competing regional interests. UAE swiftly denied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim of a secret visit to strengthen ties during the conflict. Jaishankar called on BRICS nations to address the disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the increasing use of unilateral sanctions that disproportionately affect developing countries. BRICS, originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China as a counterbalance to Western-led institutions like the G7, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025. India, also facing a shortage of foreign currency reserves, is pushing for discussions on energy security and trade in local currencies ahead of the 18th BRICS summit it will host in September.