BRICS summit: Iran, UAE, others urge restraint over Middle East escalation

The BRICS summit opened with a call for maximum restraint over escalating Middle East tensions, as the bloc sought consensus among members including Iran and the UAE.

The BRICS group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration on Saturday, expressing "deep concern" over the war in the Middle East and urged maximum restraint, advocating for a "multilateral approach" that respects national viewpoints.

The declaration, adopted on the first day of the BRICS leaders' annual summit in New Delhi, comes at a time when US and Iran have resumed tit-for-tat strikes against each other, after a pause in fighting for much of August.

The BRICS bloc includes both Iran and Washington-ally United Arab Emirates, which was expected to make clinching a joint statement consensus a particularly challenging task for host New Delhi.

A call for exercising 'maximum restraint'

"We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East...call for exercising maximum restraint...avoiding actions that could further aggravate the situation," the 'New Delhi Declaration' said.

The declaration also reiterated the commitment of member nations to a peaceful resolution of international disputes "through dialog, consultation, and diplomacy."

In addition, they voiced concerns about the rise of "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" that distort trade, against the backdrop of US sanctions against Tehran amid its war with the country, and against Russia over its conflict with Ukraine.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.