• Gaza Strip termed inseparable part of occupied Palestinian territory, according to chair’s statement
• Tehran wanted the group to condemn US-Israeli war

NEW DELHI: Top diplomats from Brics nations, including rivals Iran and the United Arab Emirates, failed to issue a joint statement on Friday after a two-day meeting in Delhi, leaving host India to release only a chair’s statement that exposed their differences.

Tehran had wanted the grouping of emerging economies to condemn the US-Israeli war on Iran and accused US ally the UAE of direct involvement in military operations against it.

Iran has struck the US military bases and military installations in the UAE with missiles and drones several times since the joint Israel-US war began on Feb 28.

According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Brics members stressed the indivisibility of security and reaffirmed support for resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy. The ministers called for stronger international efforts on peace and security.

“They called on the international community to respond to these challenges and associated security threats through politico-diplomatic measures to reduce the potential for conflict. They stressed the need to engage in conflict prevention efforts, including addressing their root causes. They encouraged the active role of regional organisations in conflict prevention and resolution and supported all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises,” it said.

“There were differing views among some members as regards the situation in the West Asia/Middle East region,” India said in the statement and outcome document.

Without naming the UAE, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told a news conference that a Brics member blocked some parts of the statement. “We have no difficulty with that certain country, they have not been our target in the current war. We only hit American military bases and American military installations which are unfortunately on their soil,” he said, adding that he hoped things would change when Brics leaders meet later this year. “I hope by the time that we come for the summit, they come to a good understanding that Iran is a neighbour, we have to live with each other, we have lived for centuries and we have to live for centuries to come.”

The UAE’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

State of Palestine

The chair’s statement said Brics ministers “recalled that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. They also flagged the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, and reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent State of Palestine.

One member had reservations on some aspects of the section on Gaza, the statement said, without naming anyone.

India’s statement, as the bloc’s chair for 2026, said member countries called for the developing world to stick together to tackle global challenges. “They highlighted the importance of the Global South as a driver of positive change,” it added.

The region faces international challenges from growing geopolitical tension to economic downturns, technology shifts, protectionist measures and migration pressures, it said.

Brics brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and the UAE.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2026