Foreign ministers of Brics nations gathered in India's capital on Thursday in discussions overshadowed by the Iran war and regional tension.
Built around the theme of innovation, co-operation, resilience and sustainability, this year's two-day summit is expected to be dominated by the continuing conflict. It comes as Donald Trump is visiting China, the first trip to Beijing by a sitting US president in nearly a decade.
Speaking at the Brics foreign ministers' meeting, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged his counterparts to “unequivocally condemn” the US and Israel's “illegal aggression” towards Tehran and asked them to “take concrete action to halt warmongering and bring an end to the impunity of those who violate the UN Charter”.
The Iranian Foreign Minister said Brics countries should work together to end “the sense of impunity that the US believes it is entitled to … which has no place in today’s world”.
Mr Araghchi added there was no military solution to the war in Iran and that his country remains committed to the path of diplomacy. Tehran rejected the latest US proposal for a deal to end the war, while Tehran's response was described as “garbage” by President Trump, leading to even greater uncertainty over the ceasefire.
Weight of war
Mr Araghchi's remarks come as the US and Iran trade threats amid a ceasefire teetering on the brink of collapse, despite continuing backdoor diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and reach an agreement.
The war has had far-reaching global repercussions, including on Brics countries.
Last year, leaders of the bloc gathered in Brazil denounced Israel's 12-day war on Iran, which began on June 13 and culminated with US air strikes nine days later. They described those attacks as a “violation of international law” but stopped short of naming the US and Israel in their joint statement.
This latest war has left member nations divided as they feel the crunch of the conflict. The UAE, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia have all been affected by the Strait of Hormuz crisis. The UAE has also come under direct fire throughout the conflict, intercepting more than 2,800 Iranian drones and missiles since February 28.
“The conflict in West Asia merits particular attention,” said India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who is chairing the New Delhi meeting, in his opening remarks. “Continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlight the fragility of the situation.
“Safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, remain vital for global economic well-being.”
Iran blockaded the strait in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began on February 28, and has since held the waterway as leverage in the conflict. The US imposed its own blockade over the strategic channel on April 13, after talks hosted and mediated by Pakistan last month failed to yield an agreement. The strait remains a key point of contention in indirect negotiations between Iran and the US.
Also on the Brics agenda are the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Yemen, the war in Lebanon and Sudan conflict, said Mr Jaishankar.
“Recent conflicts only underline the importance of dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. “India remains committed to engaging constructively with all partners in advancing these objectives.”
