The Iran War Reveals the Limits of BRICS

Source: Al Jazeera | Original Published At: 2026-09-13 12:46:58 UTC

Key Points

• The BRICS summit in New Delhi issued a declaration that did not directly address the US-Israel war on Iran and did not condemn the United States.
• An earlier BRICS foreign ministers' meeting also failed to produce a common position on the Iran conflict, reflecting divisions among members.
• The article argues that BRICS enlargement has increased the bloc's global reach but also imported regional rivalries, particularly between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
• It says BRICS members have divergent approaches to the United States, including India's pursuit of strategic autonomy and China's continued economic ties with Washington.
• The piece concludes that BRICS is more likely to function as a bargaining coalition than as a coherent geopolitical bloc.
• It also suggests that BRICS' limitations may enable a more gradual role in reforming international institutions and expanding alternative financial and development mechanisms.