Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is likely to travel to New Delhi for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting scheduled for May 14–15, several reports said on Monday.
The visit would mark Araghchi's first trip to India since the ongoing West Asia conflict, which has sharply escalated regional tensions and prompted renewed global diplomatic interventions. However, The Print reported that Araghchi is unlikely to attend in view of the situation in West Asia, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi expected to lead the Iranian delegation to New Delhi instead.
Tehran has not officially confirmed Araghchi's participation with New Delhi.
Why The Visit Matters
The meeting is being hosted by India under its current BRICS presidency.
The grouping, which expanded in 2024 to include Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Ethiopia, alongside founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has emerged as a key platform for the Global South to engage on issues of economic cooperation and geopolitical stability.
Tehran has consistently ensured senior-level participation in BRICS meetings since formally joining the bloc, viewing it as a critical multilateral forum. Iran has been pushing for BRICS, under India's presidency, to take a more active role in de-escalating the West Asia crisis, a position Araghchi, reportedly, conveyed directly to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in March.
The BRICS meeting will also carry significance for another reason: the Iranian deputy foreign minister is set to come face-to-face with his Emirati and Saudi Arabian counterparts for the first time since the West Asia war broke out.
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The Broader BRICS Picture
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed his participation, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to skip the event due to scheduling overlaps involving high-level engagements elsewhere, reports said.
India's year chairing BRICS has been marked by challenges, primarily revolving around the West Asia situation.
BRICS has yet to publish a joint statement on the conflict, given differences among Tehran, Abu Dhabi and the UAE after having faced the brunt of Iranian retaliation during weeks of open conflict earlier this year. A BRICS meeting on the Middle East last month also failed to produce a joint statement, with India instead releasing a chair's summary.
India is also expected to host the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi in September.
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