Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali on Saturday, 16 May said the 2026 BRICS Summit offers a critical platform to expose the failure of a global security framework built on guarantees from a single dominant power. His remarks, made in the context of ongoing tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, reflect Tehran's push for multipolarity as it settles into its role as a full BRICS member.

What the Iranian Envoy Said

In a post on X, Ambassador Fathali wrote: ‘The BRICS Summit in India is an opportunity to highlight a key reality: a security model based on guarantees of security and prosperity by a single power, even a major one, has failed in today’s complex and rapidly evolving world.’ The statement was made shortly after the conclusion of the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday and Friday under India’s chairship of the grouping.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Pushes for UN Security Council Reform

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed and amplified these themes during the New Delhi meeting. He argued that reforms to the United Nations Security Council are ‘not a choice, but a necessity for the survival of the United Nations,’ and called for a Council that ‘truly represents all continents and regions of the world.’

Araghchi further stated that BRICS nations must leverage their collective weight to reshape global governance and rebuild trust in multilateral institutions. ‘What we see today in some international institutions is not multilateralism, but an effort to preserve unilateralism under the cover of international law,’ he remarked. He also flagged the selective application of international law, unilateral sanctions, and disregard for national sovereignty as symptoms of a deepening governance crisis.

India’s Role as Chair

The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who expressed confidence that member-nation deliberations would contribute to a ‘more stable, equitable and inclusive international system.’ Jaishankar stressed the importance of reformed multilateralism and specifically called for reforms in the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent member categories.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the foreign ministers and heads of delegation from BRICS nations in New Delhi, reiterating that under India’s chairmanship the grouping would work towards strengthening multilateralism, promoting sustainable development, enhancing economic resilience, and building a more inclusive global order.

Broader Context: Why This Moment Matters

Iran’s inclusion in the expanded BRICS grouping has sharpened the bloc’s rhetorical edge on questions of global governance. Tehran’s advocacy for multipolarity carries added weight given the active conflict dynamics involving the US and Israel. Notably, both Iran and India — the current BRICS chair — have independently called for UN Security Council reform, suggesting a degree of convergence on structural global governance issues even where bilateral interests may diverge. The full BRICS Summit later in 2026 will test whether this rhetorical alignment translates into a coordinated position.