Published: 06:32 PM, 14 September 2026
Pezeshkian Pursues Wider Economic Ties on BRICS Sidelines
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has used his participation in the BRICS summit in New Delhi to intensify bilateral diplomacy with key members of the grouping, holding a series of meetings with the leaders of India, Malaysia, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Tehran Times
Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and held further talks on Saturday with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, reports Tehran Times.
Taken together, the meetings highlight the economic and diplomatic priorities Iran has been pursuing through BRICS: expanding bilateral trade, strengthening ties with emerging economies and neighboring states, increasing the use of national currencies in trade and developing alternative payment channels that could reduce exposure to sanctions and Western-dominated financial institutions.
The approach is also broadly consistent with the direction of the BRICS discussions in New Delhi. The grouping's latest declaration has placed greater emphasis on facilitating cross-border payments and trade settlement in national currencies, while stopping short of advocating an immediate common BRICS currency.
Pezeshkian's meeting with Modi on Friday focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, with the Iranian president emphasizing the importance of economic and financial cooperation among BRICS members and the continued implementation of strategic agreements between Iran and India.
Pezeshkian said the numerous historical and economic commonalities between Iran and India could provide a strong foundation for expanding bilateral relations and called for greater use of the two countries' economic potential.
The meeting came as India seeks to balance its relations with Iran, Russia, the Persian Gulf states and Western powers. Modi told Pezeshkian that India remained committed to dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional disputes and stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in West Asia, including the safety of navigation and commerce.
Pezeshkian also met President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, stressing the need for strategic planning to expand relations and make greater use of the economic potential available to the two countries.
Murmu, for her part, said India attached importance to deepening relations with Iran and described Pezeshkian's visit as significant, noting that it was his first trip to India in eight years.
For Tehran, India is particularly important not only as a major BRICS economy but also as a long-standing economic partner with which Iran has sought to develop trade, transport and connectivity links despite sanctions.
In his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of strengthening relations between Iran and Malaysia, while discussing bilateral ties, regional developments and issues of mutual interest.
Pezeshkian framed the broader regional confrontation as an obstacle to cooperation among Muslim and neighboring countries and said Iran sought peace, respect for its rights and the removal of ' unjust sanctions.'
Anwar expressed support for closer relations with Iran, particularly in trade, economic and educational fields. He also praised the resilience of the Iranian government and people and reiterated Malaysia's opposition to attacks on Iran's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The meeting is significant from an economic perspective because Malaysia provides Iran with another avenue for expanding commercial relations with a major Asian Muslim economy outside its immediate neighborhood.
Pezeshkian's meeting with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was among the most politically significant of his bilateral encounters in New Delhi.
The meeting brought together senior Iranian and Emirati officials at a time when relations between Tehran and Abu Dhabi have been affected by wider regional tensions. The two sides have nevertheless maintained an interest in dialogue, regional stability and economic engagement.
The encounter also carries wider significance within BRICS. Iran and the UAE are both members of the grouping, despite differences over regional security and their respective relations with the United States.
Reuters reported that the two sides backed the BRICS declaration calling for maximum restraint in West Asia and that the Pezeshkian-Khaled meeting was the highest-level contact between Iran and the UAE since the start of the current conflict.
For Tehran, maintaining channels with Persian Gulf neighbors is an important element of its broader effort to strengthen regional economic ties and prevent political divisions from becoming permanent barriers to trade and investment.
Pezeshkian also met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who praised the Iranian people's resistance, resilience and patriotism and expressed Ethiopia's interest in learning from Iran's experience.
The two leaders discussed expanding bilateral relations, including economic and cultural exchanges. Abiy noted that Ethiopia already maintains extensive economic and cultural relations with Iran's neighboring countries and expressed a desire to develop similar interactions directly with Tehran.
Pezeshkian, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of stronger economic relations among BRICS members, arguing that deeper financial and economic cooperation could contribute to the development of all member states.
The meeting fits into Iran's broader effort to use BRICS as a platform for expanding economic links with countries across Asia, Africa and the wider Global South.
