BRICS ministers fail to issue joint statement over Mideast conflict

By AP 15 May 2026, 1:18 pm

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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, third right, talks to Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Waleed bin Abdulkarim, second right, as Indian Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar, right, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ronald Lamola, second left, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, and and Vietnam Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Hang, third left, watch at a photo call of Government representatives and partner countries of BRICS during a two day meeting in New Delhi, India, on May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS nations concludes in New Delhi without a joint statement because of “differing views among some members” on the situation in the Middle East, host India says.

The Indian statement says members expressed “their respective national positions and shared a range of perspectives” on issues including sovereignty, maritime security, and the protection of civilian infrastructure and civilian lives in the Middle East.

It also includes a footnote saying that “a member had reservations” about parts of sections dealing with Gaza and security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Divisions among members have become more visible during the Iran war, particularly between Iran and the UAE.

Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged BRICS nations to condemn the US and Israel over what he described as their “unlawful aggression.” He also called on member states to resist what he said was the politicization of international institutions.