No joint statement at Brics meet due to divisions over West Asia conflict

Source: Hindustan Times | Original Published At: 2026-05-16 01:34:51 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS foreign ministers' meeting failed to produce a joint statement due to divisions between Iran and UAE over the West Asia conflict.
• Iran demanded condemnation of Israeli and US aggression while UAE sought text condemning Iranian attacks on its energy facilities.
• India, as BRICS chair, issued a chair's statement and outcome document that included dissent notes from member states on specific paragraphs.
• Iranian official Araghchi stated the final statement was blocked by a member state with special relations with Israel, apparently referring to UAE.
• The chair's statement acknowledged differing views among members on West Asia while noting consensus on global governance reform and multilateralism.
• An unnamed member state had reservations on paragraphs about Palestinian statehood and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
• India's BRICS sherpa expressed confidence in continued engagement and consultations ahead of the BRICS Summit in the second half of the year.