BRICS Tells Iran and Allies to Back Off as Ship Hit in Hormuz
BRICS nations call for "maximum restraint" in the Iran war while Iran prepares talks with Gulf states after a ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
BRICS leaders urged all sides in the Iran war to show "maximum restraint" and return to dialogue, as Iran prepared to meet Gulf Arab states following an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
The joint declaration, issued at the group's annual summit in New Delhi, warned against further escalation and stressed the need to protect civilians and prevent regional instability from worsening [240254]. The group did not name any country or side, reflecting the different positions its members hold on the conflict [240254].
The statement came as Iran was expected to hold talks with Gulf Arab states, officials said. The meeting follows an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian allies in Yemen also said they launched a new attack on Saudi Arabia [240372].
The summit brought together the leaders of China, Russia, and Iran along with other BRICS members, meeting amid war, sanctions, and global trade tensions [238445]. The group often struggles to agree on joint statements, but concerns about United States tariffs, sanctions, and the Gulf war pushed members toward a shared position [240243].
The 45-page New Delhi declaration adopted on the summit's first day covers conflict resolution, multilateralism, tariffs, and trade, among other issues [240085].
India worked to build agreement among the expanded BRICS group even as its members hold very different positions on the Iran war, relations with the United States, and what role the bloc should play in the world order [239653]. The summit also drew attention to a tentative warming of ties between India and China, with Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting New Delhi and China Southern Airlines preparing to restart its Guangzhou–New Delhi route after a six-year suspension [239653].
BRICS has often presented itself as a voice for developing countries. Its members hold different positions on Iran, which limits how far the group can push any single party. It is unclear whether the call will change the course of the war [240254].