India fails to bridge divide over Iran war at BRICS summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting, in New Delhi, on May 15, 2026. (@DrSJaishankar/X via PTI Photo)

BRICS foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus at a meeting hosted by India, exposing deep divisions within the bloc over the conflict in Iran.

New Delhi released a chair’s statement instead of a joint communique, citing differences among members over the situation in West Asia.

“There were differing views among some members as regard to the situation in the Middle East region,” according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs at the end of the summit on Friday. “BRICS members expressed their respective national positions and shared a range of perspectives.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was among the officials attending the two-day meeting in New Delhi, with Tehran urging the group to condemn the US and Israel’s military campaign against it and seeking India’s backing to forge a consensus. But, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said earlier this week that one member country, which he didn’t identify, was pushing the group to condemn Iran, holding up a consensus on the conflict.

The dispute has exposed widening rifts within the expanded BRICS grouping. The United Arab Emirates, which joined the group in 2024, was targeted by Iranian missile strikes during the West Asia conflict that erupted more than two months ago. Following the attacks, the UAE unsuccessfully sought support from neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, for a coordinated military response against Iran, Bloomberg reported. 

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned attacks on the UAE during a brief visit to Abu Dhabi, even as the BRICS meeting was underway in New Delhi. India and the UAE also signed a raft of agreements during the trip, including a defense partnership.

BRICS has struggled to reach a consensus on key global issues in the past. Last year, the group condemned the July 2025 US-Israeli strikes on Iran, but it remained silent on the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.

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Published on May 18, 2026