Iran and UAE clash over war at BRICS foreign ministers' meeting

The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi was overshadowed by a significant diplomatic clash between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, directly accused the UAE of involvement in military operations against Iran during the proceedings. This accusation was made in response to statements by the Emirati representative and came in the context of an ongoing regional conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, with Tehran retaliating against U.S. bases and targets in Gulf countries. Araghchi asserted that the UAE was "directly involved in the aggression against my country" and criticized the UAE for not issuing a condemnation when attacks began. He further argued that neither U.S. bases nor an alliance with Israel provided the UAE with security, urging the UAE to reconsider its policy towards Iran and emphasizing the need for peaceful coexistence. These remarks followed reports, including one from The Wall Street Journal, suggesting the UAE carried out military operations against Iran in early April, with Saudi Arabia also allegedly involved in unpublicized strikes. The UAE had previously denied a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming he visited the Gulf country during the Iran war. The BRICS meeting, which includes newly expanded membership with Iran and the UAE joining in January 2024, was testing the bloc's ability to present a unified front amidst escalating regional tensions and global economic uncertainty. India, as the chair of the 2026 BRICS summit, had hoped to use the platform to build consensus condemning U.S. and Israeli actions in the Gulf conflict. However, the direct confrontation between Iran and the UAE highlighted the deep divisions within the bloc. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi had indicated that demands from some member countries to condemn Iran were preventing a unified position on the West Asia conflict. The expansion of BRICS, which now includes 11 countries, has brought significant geopolitical implications, representing a quarter of the global economy and nearly half the world's population. However, this expansion has also introduced potential conflicts and competing interests among members, making consensus on political positions more difficult. Tensions between China and India over border disputes and regional leadership, as well as broader geopolitical alignments, contribute to these challenges. Beyond the immediate diplomatic spat, the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting also aimed to address global and regional issues, focusing on the bloc's future resilience, innovation, cooperation, sustainability, and reforms in global governance. Discussions were expected to cover the impact of the war on global energy prices, maritime security, and the broader geopolitical landscape shaped by the competition between China and the West. The meeting underscored the growing economic and demographic heft of the BRICS bloc and its aspirations to serve as a counterbalance to Western-led institutions, while also revealing the inherent difficulties in maintaining unity among a diverse group of nations with competing national interests. The presence of high-ranking officials, including Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, signaled the importance of the meeting despite the prevailing tensions. The BRICS grouping, originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, expanded to include South Africa in 2010. The bloc further expanded in 2024 with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia becoming a full member in 2025. This expansion reflects BRICS' ambition to increase its influence in a global order perceived by some as dominated by the United States and its Western allies. The group has garnered support from parts of the Global South, many of which have voiced criticism of Western-led financial institutions. The current meeting in New Delhi serves as a critical juncture for the expanded BRICS to navigate its internal divisions and assert its collective voice on the global stage, particularly in light of the escalating conflict in West Asia and its repercussions on energy markets and international security.

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