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Iran will welcome any initiative by major powers like India to bring peace to West Asia and it is developing a new service-and-payment-based framework for the passage of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international norms, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday. Gharibabadi, currently in New Delhi, told a select group of journalists that a demand by "one member country" of the BRICS to condemn Iran has prevented the grouping from reaching a unified position on the regional conflict, an apparent reference to the United Arab Emirates. "We want India's BRICS chairship to be successful. It is not a good approach to send a signal to the world that the BRICS is divided. One country is insisting to condemn Iran," he said. "We have not attacked neighbouring countries. They handed their territories to the US to launch an attack on us. We never insisted that Arab countries should be condemned as they allowed their military bases to the .
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India this week. While Tehran has informed New Delhi that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to attend the May 14-15 conclave, sources suggest his plans could change if the situation in the region changes dramatically. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will skip the meeting as his presence is required in Beijing for US President Donald Trump's three-day state visit, which coincides with the BRICS gathering. Chinese Ambassador to India Xi Feihong will attend the meeting on Wang's behalf, Beijing announced on Tuesday. Foreign ministers of several BRICS member states including Russia's Sergey Lavrov have already confirmed their participation, the sources said. The BRICS foreign ministers will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India, as the chair of the BRICS, is hosting the conclave of t
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to India next month to attend the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. During his visit on May 14-15, Lavrov will also hold a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing. "On May 14-15, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend a full-format meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi," Zakharova said. The meeting, chaired by India, will provide a valuable platform for substantive discussions on current international issues and prospects for strengthening global governance, particularly regarding countries representing the global majority, she was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency. "Special attention will be given to enhancing strategic partnerships in preparation for the 18th BRICS summit, which is also scheduled to take place in New Delhi this September
Sharp differences among the BRICS member states over the US-Israel war on Iran stalled India's efforts to build a consensus position on the conflict during a meeting of the grouping in New Delhi last week, official sources said on Sunday. There was no change in India's position on the Palestine issue at all, they said days after the meeting of the BRICS Deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on Middle East and North America held in New Delhi. As consensus on the West Asia conflict eluded, a "chair's statement" was released at the end of the deliberations. India is the current chair of the BRICS. The BRICS meeting of officials on the Middle-East could not produce a consensus document because there was "sharp difference of positions among members who are party to the conflict", the sources said. It is learnt that the United Arab Emirates' position on the conflict resulted in the meeting ending without producing a collective statement. Efforts to bridge the gaps by all others we
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Monday asked why the "self-styled Vishwaguru" is not advancing the BRICS+ Summit that India is set to host this year to put together a diplomatic initiative to deal with the crisis in West Asia. The opposition party also claimed that Modi does not want to "antagonise" US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, pointed out that the 18th annual BRICS+ Summit will take place in New Delhi under India's Presidency later this year, with Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE as members. "Why is the self-styled Vishwaguru not advancing the Summit to put together a diplomatic initiative to deal with the crisis in West Asia and its impacts? Clearly, he does not want to antagonise President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu," Ramesh said on X. "Mr Modi has reported
The Congress on Monday lashed out at the government for not releasing a collective statement on the West Asia conflict as the BRICS+ chair, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "diminishing" the standing of the grouping's presidency in his desire to "appease" US President Donald Trump and maintain his "cozy relationship" with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh recalled that Brazil was the President of BRICS+ in 2025 and it got the 11 member countries to issue a joint statement in June 2025 on the US and Israel air assaults on Iran. "India is boasting of being the President of BRICS+ in 2026. But till now it has not summoned up the inclination or the courage to put out a collective statement on the US-Israel air offensives on and targeted assassinations in Iran, as well as on Iran's subsequent attacks on non-military targets in the GCC countries, and the shocking action of the US Navy in the Indian Ocean close to bot
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi -- their fourth such conversation since the West Asia crisis began -- as New Delhi intensifies efforts to secure safe passage to 28 merchant vessels currently stationed on either side of the Strait of Hormuz. The two foreign ministers held the phone conversation on Thursday night. Jaishankar and Araghchi had spoken on February 28, soon after the US and Israel launched the attack on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They also spoke on March 5 and March 10. "Had another conversation with Iranian FM @araghchi yesterday night. Discussed bilateral matters as also BRICS related issues," the external affairs minister said on social media. The latest phone conversation came as India ramped up efforts to secure safe passage to the Indian-flagged merchant vessels through the strategic shipping route of Strait of Hormuz that has been partially blocked by Tehran following escalation in its ...
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday hosted ambassadors of BRICS member and partner countries and discussed ways to enhance "strategic partnership" within the grouping under India's rotating chairmanship this year. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members. A release by the Russian Foreign Ministry said, "The participants held a comprehensive exchange of views on enhancing the strategic partnership within the group, taking into account the priorities outlined under India's BRICS chairmanship this year." In the group photo of the BRICS envoys posted by the ministry, Indian ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar was seen standing in the centre next to Lavrov. "Over the working lunch the discussion focused on current global issues, highlighting the importance of preserving the UN's central role,"the release said. BRICS plus envoys stressed the need
India has presented to BRICS nations its priorities for its chairship of the grouping under the theme 'building for resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability'. New Delhi apprised the focus areas to the member nations at the first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas that was held from February 9 to 10 in the national capital. The BRICS Sherpas and senior officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates participated in the meeting. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, with Indonesia joining in 2025. It has emerged as an influential group representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade. The Sherpas and other officials also jointly called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. "During the ..
Russia will actively support India's chairmanship of BRICS with its current agenda, which is "modern, highly-relevant" with an emphasis on counter-terrorism and energy security, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members. "India's chairmanship, in my view, presents a modern, highly relevant agenda that addresses today's challenges while preparing for the future. We will actively support it," Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS International Network ahead of Russian Diplomats' Day, marked on February 10. The foreign minister said that India places particular emphasis on counter-terrorism, which remains highly relevant. "Terrorist activities are observed in Afghanistan, along its borders, and along the IndiaPakistanAfghanistan corridor, as well as in other hotspots," he said. "This priority is particula