Iran's President meets UAE Crown Prince on sidelines of BRICS in New Delhi

Masoud Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. The meeting stood out as Iran and the UAE kept diplomatic channels open amid recent regional tensions.

In Short

• Iran-UAE talks against a backdrop of rising tensions in Middle East
• The talks took place in New Delhi during the BRICS leaders' summit
• Iranian President calls on BRICS to oppose attacks on civilian infrastructure

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks in New Delhi on Saturday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, opening a rare diplomatic channel between Tehran and Abu Dhabi at a time when Iranian attacks and the wider West Asia conflict have sharply strained ties.

"H.E. Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held a meeting and talks with H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit," Iran's embassy in India said in post.

The meeting is particularly significant given the complicated relationship between Tehran and Abu Dhabi in recent months. Iran has repeatedly launched missiles and drones at the UAE amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The UAE leadership has condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and warned that it reserves the right to respond. In March, the Emirati officials said it was in a state of defence but stressed that it did not seek to be drawn into a wider conflict. The response from Abu Dhabi hardened further in May, when the UAE said the attacks had become an "unacceptable act of aggression" and a direct threat to its security and territorial integrity. It also said it held Iran responsible for the consequences of the attacks.

That makes the New Delhi meeting more than a routine engagement on the sidelines of an international summit. It offers both sides a rare opportunity to maintain a direct diplomatic channel at a time when military confrontation has made regional relations increasingly volatile. The tensions have not entirely closed the diplomatic door, however. Even as the UAE has condemned Iranian military actions, its leadership has continued to call for restraint, dialogue and a diplomatic solution to the regional crisis.

PEZESHKIAN PUSHES BRICS TO TAKE A STAND

The meeting also took place as Pezeshkian used the BRICS summit to press the grouping to take a stronger stance against US pressure and what Tehran describes as attacks on civilian infrastructure. Addressing the summit, the Iranian president urged BRICS members to take practical measures against sanctions and said the grouping should serve as a voice for justice.

"BRICS members have a responsibility to stand against the normalisation of attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, because any action against these sites constitutes a direct threat to international peace and security. The issue of Palestine and upholding the Palestinian people's right to self-determination is a serious test of the credibility and legitimacy of global governance and requires BRICS to play an active role," he said.

The BRICS leaders also adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, which expressed concern over the continuing escalation in West Asia and called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint. The declaration stressed the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and pursue dialogue and diplomacy to achieve lasting peace and stability.

- Ends