Iran’s participation in the BRICS Summit sends a clear signal: the West’s attempts to isolate Tehran have failed. The series of meetings held by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian with world leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi were a clear confirmation of that.
Dialogue Instead of isolation
During the summit, Masoud Pezeshkian held a series of key talks with leaders of member countries and partners of the association, including Russia, China, India, the UAE, South Africa, Egypt, Malaysia, and Ethiopia. The Iranian side demonstrated high diplomatic activity, discussing issues of regional security (in particular, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz), economic cooperation, and the strengthening of bilateral ties according to the principles of mutual benefit.
Such diplomatic activity by Tehran could become a signal for a de-escalation of tension in the region, confirming that Iran is betting not only on forceful methods but also on the art of diplomacy
Tehran once again confirmed its commitment to the principles of a multipolar world. The position of the President of Iran is unambiguous: international relations must be built on respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. Aggression, in the view of the Iranian side, is not only a criminal but also a dead-end path for resolving geopolitical disputes.
Talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Tehran and New Delhi discussed a strategy for long-term mutually beneficial partnership on bilateral and multilateral bases. The sides touched upon international transit corridors (including the logistics port of Chabahar and the North–South ITC), which facilitate the expansion of trade bypassing Western sanctions.
An important subject of the meeting was the adoption of measures to protect freedom of navigation and the safety of the merchant fleet amid regional instability. India remains one of Iran’s key economic and political partners, with whom it shares common interests and threats due to the escalation of new regional conflicts.
Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of economic and financial interaction between BRICS members, as well as the need to continue implementing strategic agreements between Iran and India. Modi confirmed India’s commitment to dialogue and diplomacy in resolving regional disputes, and its focus on maintaining peace and stability in West Asia.
Meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman Xi Jinping
Masoud Pezeshkian held brief working contacts with colleagues, where the sides confirmed their course toward forming a multipolar world and developing trade in national currencies with the aim of reducing dependence on Western financial systems.
Important Talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan
This became a landmark meeting given the regional tension in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf zone that has arisen due to the actions of the US and Israel. It can be said that the talks between Pezeshkian and Nahyan on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in India turned out to be one of the main diplomatic events of the forum. It should be recalled that the background was unfavorable due to the crisis in relations between the Islamic Republic and the Emirates, since ten days before this meeting Iran struck military facilities in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi announced, on the eve of the summit, the suspension of financial and trade operations with Tehran.
Before the start of the summit, the simultaneous participation of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates was a difficult factor to be considered. Considering the ongoing war in the Middle East and Iranian strikes on facilities in the Persian Gulf zone, the prospect of agreeing on a single text of the declaration remained unclear for a long time. Iran demanded an unequivocal condemnation of the actions of the US and Israel, while the UAE insisted on equivalent condemnation of the Iranian strikes. In the end, India’s diplomatic mediation made it possible to smooth over the contradictions regarding the text of the final BRICS document.
It is likely that Pezeshkian and Nahyan also touched upon the recent escalation between the Houthis and the Saudis on the Red Sea coast and in the waters of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The leaders of the two countries took a key step toward each other and agreed to turn the page and move toward overcoming past disagreements, to develop future relations on the basis of economic cooperation, and to deepen dialogue at the level of foreign ministers.
The issue of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most acute and controversial topics on the regional agenda. Earlier, adviser to the President of the UAE, Anwar Gargash, stated that the Emirates would not allow their energy exports and trade to become hostages of the policy of one country, i.e. Iran. However, at the BRICS summit the emphasis shifted, as the sides focused on finding a balance to ensure the security of maritime communications. On his account on X, Gargash characterized President Pezeshkian’s position on overcoming the regional crisis as “balanced and rational”.
Talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
With Cairo, a large portion of talks was linked to issues of overcoming the regional crisis, reducing escalation, and unblocking key maritime arteries for world trade. It is clear that the conflict between Israel and the US with Iran also put Egypt in the line of fire of the opposing forces. At the same time, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the critical situation in the area of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in Yemen create potential difficulties for Egypt connected with a sharp decline in the transit of goods through the Suez Canal.
As the ISNA News Agency reports, with the leader of South Africa, Pezeshkian discussed the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the need to support Palestine. The sides also exchanged views on resolving the Middle East crisis and the prospects for trade and economic cooperation.
Fruitful Meetings with the Leaders of Malaysia and Ethiopia
During the summit, important talks were held between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Prime Ministers of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, and Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. The sides discussed deepening trade and economic ties, as well as expanding scientific, technical, and cultural cooperation.
Anwar Ibrahim confirmed Malaysia’s course toward strengthening partnership with Iran, placing emphasis on economics and education, and once again condemned any encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In turn, the meeting with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia focused on the prospects for economic interaction: Tehran regards Addis Ababa as a key “gateway” to the African continent.
The bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit demonstrated Iran’s pragmatic approach, aimed at overcoming past disagreements and building a constructive future. Such diplomatic activity by Tehran could become a signal for a de-escalation of tension in the region, confirming that Iran is betting not only on forceful methods but also on the art of diplomacy.
Alexander SVARANTS, Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Turkologist, and expert on Middle Eastern countries
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