Iran said it would welcome any Indian initiative to end the war in West Asia and help restore regional security, but warned that consensus inside BRICS is being delayed by a single member state, Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday as Tehran prepared for a key BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on May 14–15, 2026. Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi ahead of that meeting and is due to hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Russia’s Sergey Lavrov.
Speaking to a small group of journalists hours before Araghchi’s arrival, Gharibabadi said Iran is finalising protocols for fees that every vessel will have to pay to use the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively closed since the start of the West Asia conflict on February 28, 2026. Nearly a dozen Indian-flagged ships remain to the west of the strait, he noted. “It’s not a toll,” Gharibabadi said, adding the charges will be based on services provided by the coastal states of Iran and Oman.
Gharibabadi, who met Secretary (West) Sibi George of India’s External Affairs Ministry, said Iran is prepared both for negotiations with the United States that could lead to a “termination of war” and for a resumption of hostilities if talks fail. He appealed directly to India, calling it a “big and important country” and saying, “If India comes with an initiative, we will welcome that,” urging developing nations to work to prevent further escalation.
On the BRICS joint declaration for the summit in September, Gharibabadi said one member is insisting on language condemning Iran, a stance that he indicated refers to the United Arab Emirates. He said Iran favours a final declaration under India’s presidency and warned it would be harmful to signal division within BRICS.
Gharibabadi also accused the US of launching thousands of attacks from neighbouring territories and said Iran has documented direct attacks from two neighbouring countries; when asked about media reports of UAE and Saudi strikes on Iran, he replied, “Yes, that’s true.” He argued it would be unfair to single out Iran in any BRICS declaration without condemning actions by Israel and the US.
On legal and operational matters, Gharibabadi said Iran is not a party to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and therefore has no international obligation to follow it, but he insisted the new navigation and rescue-fee protocols will be non-discriminatory, transparent and in accordance with international law.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/iran-will-welcome-indian-peace-initiative-one-brics-nation-blocks-consensus-iranian-minister-101778695253821.html
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Publish Date: 2026-05-13 23:43:00
