What Happened
- In a call with PM Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran "did not initiate the war" and called on India-chaired BRICS to play an independent role in halting US-Israeli aggression.
- Pezeshkian described Iran's missile strikes on US bases in the Gulf as "legitimate self-defence" and urged BRICS to take a "strong and constructive" stand for peace.
- BRICS has so far failed to issue a joint statement on the conflict — a significant diplomatic setback for India's 2026 chairmanship — because some BRICS members (the US's allies) are reluctant to take sides, while others are directly involved.
- Iran also separately conveyed its position through Foreign Minister Araghchi to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, underscoring the intensity of Iran's diplomatic engagement with India.
- The episode illustrates the tension India faces as BRICS chair: the bloc now includes both Iran and the UAE — two nations on opposing sides of the conflict, since Iranian missiles struck UAE territory.
Static Topic Bridges
BRICS: Structure, Expansion, and India's 2026 Chairmanship
BRICS began as a Goldman Sachs economic grouping concept (2001) and became a formal diplomatic forum at its first summit in 2009. India has chaired BRICS four times: 2012, 2016, 2021, and now 2026. Under South Africa's 2023 chairmanship, BRICS expanded from 5 to 10 full members, with Iran, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia (Saudi later deferred joining) invited. In 2024, Iran and UAE became full members. In 2025, ten partner countries joined. India's 2026 BRICS theme is "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." The bloc's collective GDP represents roughly 35–40% of global GDP (PPP) and over 40% of global population.
- BRICS 2026 full members (10): Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia.
- India officially assumed the BRICS chair on January 1, 2026, succeeding Brazil.
- India's 2026 chairmanship priorities: multilateral reform, South-South cooperation, digital public infrastructure, climate finance.
- BRICS failed to issue a joint statement on the West Asia war because UAE (struck by Iranian missiles) and Iran are both members.
Connection to this news: Iran's request that BRICS — under India's chair — act as an independent peace platform places India in a delicate mediating role. It also tests whether BRICS can function as a cohesive geopolitical forum or remains fragmented by member-state conflicts.
India's Role in Multilateral Conflict Diplomacy
India has historically positioned itself as a bridge-builder in international conflicts, drawing on its tradition of non-alignment and its membership in multiple geopolitical groupings (G20, SCO, BRICS, Quad, Commonwealth). India's diplomatic capital lies in its relationships with all parties: Iran (Chabahar port, oil imports), the US (Quad, defence), Russia (arms, energy), Gulf Arab states (diaspora, investments), and China (BRICS, SCO co-membership). India's approach to the West Asia war has been to call for dialogue and diplomacy without naming the aggressor — attempting consensus via BRICS while simultaneously engaging UAE, Israel, and the US bilaterally.
- India is a member of BRICS, SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), G20, Quad, and the Non-Aligned Movement's successor frameworks.
- SCO members include Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran — making India a co-member with Iran in both BRICS and SCO.
- India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke separately with Iranian FM Araghchi in March 2026.
- India abstained on UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on the Iran conflict, maintaining equidistance.
Connection to this news: Iran's appeal to BRICS reflects its recognition of India's unique diplomatic positioning — as the one major power with credible relationships on both sides. Iran's explicit invocation of India's chairmanship is itself a diplomatic move designed to pressure India to use its BRICS platform more actively.
The Concept of "Legitimate Self-Defence" in International Law
Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, member states retain the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against them, until the Security Council takes measures necessary to maintain peace. Iran's framing of its retaliation as "legitimate self-defence" under Article 51 is a standard legal defence in international humanitarian law. However, the proportionality and necessity tests apply: a self-defence claim must show the response was proportional to the original attack and necessary given the circumstances. Iran's strikes on US bases in UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain — expanding the theatre of war — raise complex questions about proportionality under international law.
- UN Charter Article 51: Right of self-defence — individual or collective — in response to an armed attack, until the Security Council acts.
- Two conditions for a valid Article 51 claim: necessity (no other means available) and proportionality (response commensurate with the attack).
- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has elaborated these conditions in the Nicaragua case (1986) and the Oil Platforms case (2003).
- Iran's strikes on US bases in Gulf countries expanded the conflict beyond Iran's borders, complicating its legal self-defence narrative.
Connection to this news: Pezeshkian's use of "legitimate self-defence" language is directed at international audiences including BRICS. India's response — avoiding endorsement of either party's framing while calling for dialogue — reflects the challenge of navigating international legal arguments in the context of BRICS chairmanship diplomacy.
Key Facts & Data
- BRICS 2026 chair: India (4th time; theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability").
- BRICS full members (2026): 10 countries including both Iran and UAE — both parties affected by the West Asia conflict.
- Iran officially joined BRICS as a full member in 2024 (invited at the 2023 Johannesburg summit).
- The West Asia war began February 28, 2026; Pezeshkian's call with Modi was one of multiple diplomatic contacts Iran initiated with India.
- BRICS failed to issue a joint statement on the war under India's chairmanship, exposing internal divisions.
- UN Charter Article 51 codifies the right to self-defence; ICJ has clarified its conditions in multiple landmark rulings.
- India's first Modi-Pezeshkian call: March 12, 2026; second call: March 21, 2026.