Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has identified the situation surrounding Iran as the most pressing issue for the BRICS bloc ahead of its New Delhi summit scheduled for September 12-13.
In an interview with TASS conducted on September 7, Ryabkov stated that the Iranian situation is complicated by “the fact that there are countries within BRICS that take a sharply critical position on what Tehran is doing and has been doing recently.”
The diplomat emphasized that current dynamics in the Persian Gulf region constitute the most sensitive political issue for all BRICS member states. Ryabkov also noted that Iran-related discussions could consume significant time during both direct communications between leaders and final revisions of the summit’s declaration, though he admitted being unable to predict the outcome.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Iran’s courage and resilience during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Peseshkian on September 1. Putin stated that despite the armed conflict in the Middle East, Russia and Tehran have maintained positive economic and trade relations from last year.
