War on Iran Tests BRICS Unity at New Delhi Talks
Member states struggle to form a unified stance as Iran pushes for condemnation of US and Israeli strikes while divisions between Tehran and Gulf allies threaten a joint statement.
May 13th 2026 · World
The US-Israeli war on Iran is set to cast a shadow over a two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS grouping that kicks off in New Delhi on Thursday, testing the bloc's ability to reach a unified position and produce a joint statement. Iran had urged India, the BRICS chair for 2026, to use the platform to build a consensus condemning US and Israeli actions in the Gulf conflict, which was launched on February 28. The main differences have emerged between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which are on opposing sides of the front line, with reports that the UAE and Saudi Arabia carried out military strikes on Iran in retaliation for Iranian strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are expected to attend the gathering running through May 14-15. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in March that some BRICS members were directly involved in the conflict, making it difficult to forge a consensus. Another ministry official told Reuters that India was hopeful to secure a joint statement after the latest round of meetings. Former Indian diplomat Manjeev Singh Puri expressed cautious optimism, noting that all foreign ministers except China's would be present, calling it a positive sign for efforts to build a BRICS coalition around matters of interest to emerging economies and the global south. The BRICS grouping originally included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa but has expanded over the years to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE. Soaring energy prices caused by the war have prompted many BRICS nations, including India, to introduce emergency measures to protect their economies and consumers. China, which maintains robust ties with both Iran and Sunni-majority Arab states, has taken a nominally neutral stance and will be represented by its Ambassador to India Xu Feihong rather than Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is tied up with US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing this week.