At BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meet, Jaishankar Terms Unilateral Sanctions 'Unjustifiable' But Refrains From Naming US

New Delhi: At the opening of the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday (May 14) called for unimpeded maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz and described unilateral sanctions as 'unjustifiable', even as the bloc struggles to find a common position on the Iran conflict in West Asia.

The two-day meeting in the Indian capital is the first major ministerial engagement under India's 2026 BRICS chairmanship and the first such plurilateral meeting since the Iran war started in February this year.

Delivering India’s national statement, Jaishankar said the conflict in West Asia "merits particular attention" and called for "safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea."

He described "the increasing resort to unilateral coercive measures and sanctions inconsistent with international law and the UN Charter" as disproportionately affecting developing countries. "These unjustifiable measures cannot substitute dialogue, nor can pressure replace diplomacy," he said. The statement did not name the United States or Israel.

India has traditionally opposed unilateral sanctions that are not backed by the United Nations. But it has complied with US sanctions on purchasing Iranian oil in the past. New Delhi had been less compliant on Russian crude, which is under US and EU sanctions, but had to cut back after being hit with punitive tariffs by the Trump administration.

A BRICS deputy foreign ministers' meeting on the Middle East and North Africa held in late April ended without a joint statement after Iran and the UAE, which are on opposite sides of the ongoing war, clashed over the framing of the conflict. The expanded bloc has not been able to reach a common position on the war since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.

The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed to commercial shipping since the strikes triggered retaliatory action by Tehran and a subsequent Iranian blockade of the waterway. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports followed the failure of the Islamabad talks in April.

India faced a severe cooking gas shortage, with restrictions imposed on commercial cylinders and panic buying affecting domestic consumption. New Delhi has relied on case-by-case vessel clearances negotiated with Tehran and a shift to Russian and American crude to manage the disruption.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi participated in the Delhi meeting, while the UAE, whose territory and energy infrastructure have come under Iranian strikes during the conflict for allowing US military bases, sent minister of state for foreign affairs Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar.

In separate opening remarks as chair, Jaishankar said it was "essential for the smooth advancement of BRICS that later members fully appreciate and subscribe to the BRICS' consensus on various important issues." He noted that there was "a growing expectation, particularly from emerging markets and developing countries, that BRICS will play a constructive and stabilising role.”

Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who was in New Delhi ahead of the meeting, had said that a "neighbouring country" was holding up consensus over the joint declaration.

In 2024 Johannesburg summit, BRICS announced that six nations would be added as new members. BRICS technically has 11 member states, though Saudi Arabia, which is listed on India's official BRICS website, has not formally joined the organisation.

During his speech, Jaishankar referred to the conflict in Gaza, where he sought sustained ceasefire, humanitarian access and batted for the two-state solution. He flagged the situation in Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and Libya and called for "sustained international engagement" across all of them.

“Taken together, they underline a clear reality: stability cannot be selective, and peace cannot be piecemeal. It is essential to uphold international law, protect civilians, and avoid targeting public infrastructure. India stands ready to contribute constructively to de-escalation efforts and to support initiatives aimed at restoring stability,” he said.

On UN Security Council reform, a long-standing Indian priority, Jaishankar said the case for expanding both the permanent and non-permanent categories was growing stronger "with each passing day" and that "continued delay comes at a high cost."

He repeated India's standard language on cross-border terrorism, calling for "zero tolerance" as "an uncompromising and universal norm," phrasing New Delhi has historically directed at Pakistan-based groups.

The BRICS Leaders' Summit is scheduled for September in India. The visiting delegations are expected to call on prime minister Narendra Modi during the summit.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.