Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Thursday urged BRICS nations to explicitly condemn what he described as violations of international law by the United States and Israel, as the ongoing conflict in West Asia overshadowed the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi.
Speaking during the two-day gathering hosted under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship, Araqchi accused Washington and Israel of pursuing “illegal aggression” and “warmongering” against Iran.
Iran Pushes BRICS To Take A Stand
“Iran therefore calls upon BRICS member states and all responsible members of the international community to explicitly condemn violations of international law by the United States and Israel,” Araqchi said.
He added that Tehran remained open to diplomacy but was also prepared to defend itself “with all available means.”
The remarks highlighted growing internal divisions within the expanded BRICS grouping, which now includes regional rivals Iran and the United Arab Emirates alongside Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Analysts say Iran’s strong anti-U.S. position could complicate efforts to issue a unified BRICS statement, as the bloc operates through consensus and includes members with differing strategic alignments in West Asia.
Hormuz Crisis Raises Global Energy Concerns
The conflict, which began on February 28, has intensified geopolitical tensions and triggered major disruptions in global energy markets.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz through which nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments normally pass has sharply reduced tanker traffic and pushed crude oil prices significantly higher.
The disruption has raised fears of renewed inflation, tighter financial conditions and a broader global economic slowdown, particularly for energy-importing countries such as India.
India’s foreign ministry separately confirmed on Thursday that an Indian-flagged commercial vessel had come under attack off the coast of Oman a day earlier, though all crew members were reported safe.
“The attack is unacceptable and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” the ministry said.
Jaishankar Avoids Direct Criticism
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar adopted a more cautious approach in his opening remarks, avoiding direct criticism of any country while stressing the importance of stability and uninterrupted maritime trade.
“The conflict in West Asia merits particular attention,” Jaishankar said.
He emphasised that open shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea remained critical for global economic stability.
Jaishankar also criticised the increasing use of unilateral sanctions, a long-standing concern among several BRICS members.
“There is an increasing resort to unilateral coercive measures and sanctions inconsistent with international law and the U.N. Charter,” he said.
“Such measures disproportionately affect developing countries. These unjustifiable measures cannot substitute dialogue, nor can pressure replace diplomacy.”
Expanded BRICS Faces New Challenges
The BRICS grouping has grown significantly in recent years, expanding beyond its original members, Brazil, Russia, India and China — to include South Africa in 2011 and later Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE.
While the expansion has strengthened BRICS’ global influence and representation of the Global South, it has also introduced deeper geopolitical divergences among member states.
Jaishankar said emerging economies increasingly expect BRICS to play a “constructive and stabilising role” amid rising geopolitical fragmentation and global uncertainty.
The New Delhi meeting is expected to help shape the agenda for the upcoming BRICS Leaders’ Summit later this year, where issues related to energy security, global governance reform and geopolitical crises are likely to dominate discussions.
(with inputs from Reuters)
