The BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia, has strongly condemned the military attacks on Iran by Israel and the US. In a joint statement published on the official website of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry on June 25, 2025, BRICS termed these attacks as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.
Background of the attack and BRICS response
On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran's military and nuclear bases, in response to which Iran retaliated on Israel with hundreds of ballistic missiles under 'Operation True Promise 3'. Subsequently, on the night of June 22, the US bombed three major Iranian nuclear facilities - Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz - under 'Operation Midnight Hammer'. US President Donald Trump claimed that the attacks were "completely successful" and "completely destroyed" Iran's nuclear capability.
The BRICS said in its statement, "We express grave concern over the military attacks against Iran, which began on 13 June 2025, which are in violation of international law and the UN Charter." The group called for keeping the Middle East free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, pointing out that only Israel in the region has nuclear weapons, although it does not officially acknowledge it.
Iran's expectations and BRICS limitations
Iran, which became a member of BRICS on January 1, 2024, had expected the group to condemn and support Israel's attacks. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said on June 16, "We hope that BRICS will accept our regional position, where a criminal regime launched an illegal armed attack on another country." However, BRICS did not issue any united statement, nor provide military support, dashing Iran's hopes.
This stance of BRICS makes it clear that the group is not a security alliance, such as NATO, and has no shared military doctrine or intervention mechanism. Major member countries such as Russia, China and India prioritized their national interests and refrained from risking relations with Israel or the US.
Global reactions and tensions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the US attacks a "dangerous escalation" and appealed to all parties to exercise restraint. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also called for preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but also advocated de-escalation.
Meanwhile, India participated in the BRICS joint statement but abstained from a statement by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that condemned Israel. India's foreign ministry made it clear that it did not participate in the SCO deliberations, indicating that India wants to maintain a neutral stance on the issue.
Conclusion
The BRICS statement is an important step amid rising tensions in the Middle East, but its effectiveness is being questioned. Will the condemnation help establish peace in the region, or will it remain a mere diplomatic statement? This will be clear in the times to come.
No comments: