BRICS Leaders Issue Joint Call for Middle East Restraint

Leaders of the BRICS group issued a joint statement on Saturday calling for "maximum restraint" in the Middle East, overcoming earlier divisions that had blocked a unified position. The statement, released at the summit in New Delhi, expressed deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the region and urged all parties to avoid actions that could further aggravate the situation. The agreement came after intense diplomatic efforts by host India, following a deadlock among foreign ministers in May. That earlier meeting was marred by disagreements between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which has been hit by Iranian attacks during the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel that began on February 28. The summit brought together leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Modi, opening the two-day gathering, called for a global system where every country has a voice and humanity's development is at the center of every effort.