New Delhi: A meeting of BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on West Asia ended on Friday without a joint statement, underlining continuing divisions within the bloc over the ongoing Iran war.The meeting, held on April 24, was attended by representatives of 10 BRICS members, including both Iran, hit directly by United States and Israel, and the UAE, struck by Iranian counter-attacks on US military bases in Gulf countries.The Ministry of External Affairs issued a chair’s statement after the discussions, a format typically used when members cannot agree on common language. The statement said participants “expressed deep concern on the recent conflict in the Middle East and offered views and assessments on the matter”.There was no explicit reference to Iran and no condemnation of either the initial strikes or the subsequent retaliatory attacks on Gulf countriesThe absence of a joint statement marks a departure from previous years. In March 2025, under Brazil’s chairmanship, BRICS deputy foreign ministers and envoys issued a detailed joint statement that took clear positions on regional conflicts.It had explicitly addressed the Iranian nuclear issue, rejected threats against Iran and called for de-escalation. Noting “the recent imposition of new unilateral sanctions against Iran”, it stressed that “political and diplomatic engagement remains the only viable and practical option”.The 2025 joint statement of the meeting of deputy ministers had also “rejected recent threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran and called for the de-escalation of the situation, which has the potential to undermine international peace and security”.Three months later, in June 2025, when Israel launched a 12-day air campaign against Iranian nuclear and military installations and the US subsequently struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, BRICS issued a standalone joint statement expressing “grave concern” over the military strikes against of Iran describing it as a “a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations”.The Rio de Janeiro summit declaration in July went further, with BRICS formally “condemning” the strikes and expressing “serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities.”Under India’s chairmanship, the bloc has not issued any joint statement since the current conflict began on February 28.Tehran has also been pushing for a clearer role from the bloc. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have urged India, as current chair, to ensure BRICS plays a “strong” and “constructive” role in addressing the crisis and supporting regional stability.On March 15, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal explained the impasse, saying that “some members of the BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impacted forging a consensus on a common BRICS position on the ongoing conflict”.