BRICS consensus on West Asia uncertain as Iran, UAE spar at meeting

The foreign ministers' meeting was set to conclude with a final session on Friday morning (May 15, 2026). If there is no consensus on a joint BRICS statement, the meeting could end with a Chair's statement, as occurred in the prior meeting of BRICS envoys last month. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need for later members to subscribe to the grouping's consensus to support institutional development.

On May 14, 2026, diplomats described the talks on a BRICS foreign ministers' joint statement as balanced on a knife-edge, with a West Asia consensus remaining uncertain. The UAE sought condemnation of Iran's actions, while Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged explicit condemnation of violations of international law by the US and Israel, accusing the UAE of involvement in aggression against Iran. Araghchi criticized the UAE for providing military bases, airspace, land and facilities to the US and Israel and suggested the UAE reconsider its policy toward Iran. He also referenced Netanyahu's alleged secret trip to the UAE during the war and urged BRICS to prevent politicization of international institutions and halt warmongering.

The article notes that 'Just yesterday, it was revealed that Netanyahu had traveled to the UAE during the war,' a claim linked to reports cited in the Iranian side. Iran later framed the UAE as an active partner in aggression, a position attributed to remarks by Iranian officials.