BRICS countries have agreed on a joint declaration expected to condemn unilateral military action without naming any country.
Differences between Iran and the UAE over the West Asia conflict complicated negotiations, highlighting divisions within the expanded 11-member bloc.
The declaration is expected to be formally approved by BRICS leaders at the New Delhi summit as members seek a common position despite geopolitical differences.
BRICS countries have agreed on a joint declaration that is expected to condemn unilateral military action without naming any country, four sources told Reuters on Saturday. The declaration is expected to be formally approved by BRICS leaders at the New Delhi summit later in the day.
The agreement comes after differences between Iran and the UAE complicated negotiations over the statement, with the two members taking opposing positions amid the West Asia conflict.
Iran-UAE Rift Complicated BRICS Statement
The West Asia crisis has emerged as a major challenge for the expanded 11-member grouping, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE.
The conflict has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies, while crude prices have crossed $100 a barrel. The UAE, which has faced Iranian missile attacks since the conflict began, suspended trade and financial transactions with Iran in August.
The differences had complicated efforts to draft a unified BRICS position.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Iran-UAE dispute had a “negative impact” on the drafting process and expressed hope that leaders would agree on acceptable language.
The divisions had surfaced earlier in May, when BRICS foreign ministers failed to issue a joint statement at their meeting in New Delhi. India subsequently issued a chair’s statement acknowledging that members had “differing views”.
The latest agreement allows the grouping to present a common position while avoiding direct attribution of responsibility to any country, reflecting the competing geopolitical interests within the expanded BRICS bloc.
