Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined, this Saturday (12), a joint declaration by the BRICS group of nations that calls for restraint in the war in the Middle East, in a gesture seen as a sign of diplomatic progress between the countries divided by the conflict.
The president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, also met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi on the first day, in the highest-level meeting between the two countries since the start of the conflict.
The two leaders discussed regional and international issues, the de-escalation of tensions, stability, and efforts to promote peace and development in the region, according to Abu Dhabi’s press office on X, without mentioning any concrete outcomes of the discussions.
The BRICS summit is a test of the bloc’s diplomatic influence, created in 2009 to challenge a world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies. Originally, it was composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, having expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia, as well as Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The organizers of the summit and diplomats have focused on overcoming the divide between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, even with the United States and Iran resuming reciprocal attacks in the six-month-old war.
Iran has launched repeated attacks against the United Arab Emirates during the conflict, most recently at the end of August, when it targeted the Al Minhad Air Base, which housed U.S. forces and helicopters.
“We express deep concern about the ongoing escalation of tensions in the Middle East/West Asia… we urge maximum restraint, as well as for actions that could further aggravate the situation,” says the BRICS joint declaration.
The declaration called for the protection of civilians, urged respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and emphasized the need to protect global trade, the supply chains, energy flows, and maritime security.
