Iran President, UAE Crown Prince meet on BRICS sidelines, back joint statement urging restraint in West Asia war

Key Points:

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the New Delhi BRICS summit, marking the highest-level meeting between Iran and the UAE since the West Asia conflict began.
• The leaders discussed regional stability, de-escalation, and peace efforts, though no specific outcomes were disclosed; this meeting followed a joint BRICS statement urging restraint in the West Asia war.
• The BRICS declaration emphasized avoiding actions that escalate tensions, protecting civilians, respecting sovereignty, and safeguarding global trade and energy flows amid ongoing US-Iran and Israel-Iran conflicts.
• Experts view the meeting as a diplomatic test for BRICS, with India playing a balancing role by facilitating dialogue between countries with differing interests in the region.
• The BRICS summit in New Delhi, attended by leaders including Putin and Xi Jinping, also saw the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration to strengthen cooperation while respecting member states' priorities and laws.