Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday for the BRICS Summit and to hold bilateral talks for the second time in under two weeks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen trade and overall ties.
The Prime Minister thanked Iran for its participation in BRICS-related meetings despite challenging circumstances.
During the bilateral meeting with the Iranian president, PM Modi raised the issue of regional stability amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. According to sources, PM Modi emphasised that the safety and security of seafarers will remain India’s top priority.
For a lasting solution in the Middle East crisis, India has firmly positioned “dialogue and diplomacy” as the definitive way forward. India said that energy security remains a key concern and that there should be a safe passage for vessels carrying supplies.
Pezeshkian’s first visit to India as the president comes as tensions in the Middle East have spiked after the US launched Operation Economic Outcast, a maximum-pressure campaign to completely sever the remaining financial and commercial lifelines sustaining the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian leader emphasised that BRICS was needed to focus on boosting its economic resilience. He said that the BRICS bank was created for the freedom of countries from reliance on the dollar and to stand against US dominance.
‘Use National Currencies In Trade Among BRICS’, Says Pezeshkian
At the BRICS Business Forum on Friday, Pezeshkian said that the world was going through a complex period, geopolitical uncertainties and said that it was important for the members of the bloc to use national currencies during trade.
He called out US’ military aggression and sanctions and said that BRICS must create an environment in which no country can disrupt legitimate trade of another country through monopolising financial instruments.
“India and Iran share civilisational ties, marked by robust cultural and people-to-people bonds. As BRICS partners, the two countries are working to contribute to shared progress and prosperity,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media while welcoming the Iranian leader to India.
PM Modi- Pezeshkian’s SCO Bilateral Meet
PM Modi met the Iranian leader in Bishkek on August 31 and conveyed that India supports all efforts toward ending the conflict.
In the meeting, Pezeshkian had requested PM Modi to leverage India’s broad diplomatic ties to steer the conflicting parties away from violence and encourage a return to negotiations.
The summit in New Delhi is taking place against the backdrop of a global economy facing the adverse impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Middle East crisis, especially the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Trump administration’s trade and tariff policies
