Serious disagreements have arisen within BRICS over the war in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg
The BRICS countries have been unable to reach a unified position on the conflict in the Middle East ahead of the organization’s foreign ministers’ meeting, which is taking place this week in New Delhi. The main source of disagreement is the conflict surrounding Iran and the member states’ differing views on how the bloc should respond.
This is reported by Bloomberg.
BRICS currently includes Russia, India, China, South Africa, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Indonesia.
According to Bloomberg, India faces a difficult diplomatic challenge, as New Delhi is hosting the two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers. The event begins on Thursday under the chairmanship of Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar.
According to the agency, Iran is actively trying to persuade the bloc’s member states to condemn the U.S. and Israeli military campaign. Tehran is also seeking India’s support on this issue.
At the same time, there is no consensus within BRICS regarding such a statement. In particular, the United Arab Emirates is unlikely to support a strong condemnation of the actions of the U.S. and Israel, given its tense relations with Iran and previous attacks by Tehran.
On the eve of the meeting, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that one of the bloc’s member countries is allegedly trying to secure a condemnation of Iran itself, which is why BRICS cannot reach a common position on the conflict.
“One of the member states is pressuring the group to condemn Iran, delaying the achievement of a consensus on the conflict,” the Iranian diplomat said.
At the same time, he did not specify which country he was referring to.
The international context is also drawing additional attention to the summit. According to Bloomberg, the BRICS meeting may be overshadowed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing.
China remains a key partner for Iran, as it is the largest buyer of Iranian oil and one of Tehran’s main diplomatic allies on the international stage.
Analysts note that the current situation once again highlights internal contradictions within BRICS. Despite their efforts to position themselves as an alternative center of global influence, the bloc’s member countries regularly fail to agree on important international crises.
In particular, last year BRICS condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, but did not present a unified position regarding the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. authorities.
The current meeting in New Delhi could become yet another test of the organization’s unity amid the escalating situation in the Middle East.
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