Joint declaration voices concern over Mideast

The BRICS group of emerging economies on Saturday expressed concern over rising tensions in the Middle East and condemned the use of sanctions not authorised by the UN.

The leaders of the group met in the Indian capital of New Delhi to strengthen their position in global affairs seen as dominated by the West. 

Overcoming earlier divisions to issue a joint statement, members of the 11-nation group, including China, Russia, Iran and India, advocated for a "multilateral approach" that respects national viewpoints.

The unanimous declaration, adopted on the first day of the BRICS leaders' annual summit, came at a time when US and Iran have resumed tit-for-tat strikes against each other, after a pause in fighting for much of August.

Foreign ministers of the BRICS grouping failed to agree on a joint statement when they met in New Delhi in May, with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates divided over the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. 

"We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in Middle East/West Asia," the joint statement said, adding the countries "call for exercising maximum restraint, as well as avoiding actions that could further aggravate the situation".

Chinese President Xi Jinping told the summit that the Middle East war "does not serve the common interests of the international community". 

China will work with other BRICS members in that role, as the war "does not serve the common interests of the international community", state-run CCTV quoted Xi as saying. 

"We have to transform this pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other leaders.

Modi, opening the two-day summit, called for a system "where every country has a voice, every member has a stake and humanity's development is at the centre of every effort".

He told leaders that BRICS nations "represent 50% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP and more than 25% of global trade".

Russian President Vladimir Putin said BRICS member states continue to strengthen cooperation across key areas, including politics and security, while the bloc’s global authority and influence continue to grow.   

The global balance of power is shifting toward new centers of growth in the Global South and East, Putin said. 

“Building a multipolar world faces challenges due to actions by those who are used to dividing the world into a flourishing garden and wild jungles,” he added.

Read More

BRICS meets in India: What’s on the agenda, why it matters

While meeting on the sidelines of summit, Modi and Xi stressed the need to further promote business linkages and greater mobility between their countries, as New Delhi and Beijing rebuild ties that were badly damaged by a 2020 military clash on their disputed Himalayan border.

"The two leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question", India's foreign ministry said in a statement after the meeting.

Modi "underlined the need for both sides to observe existing agreements and understandings on border related issues," it added.

Iran and the United Arab Emirates signed up to a joint statement from the BRICS group of nations that called for restraint in the Middle East war on Saturday, in what was seen as a sign of diplomatic progress between the countries divided by the war.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the first day of the New Delhi summit, in the countries' highest-level meeting since the start of the conflict.

The two leaders discussed regional and international issues, de-escalation, stability, and efforts to advance regional peace and development, the Abu Dhabi media office said on X, without referring to any resolution to the discussions.