Iran Foreign minister writes to BRICS nations, calls for halt to attacks on Gaza

Tehran [Iran]: At a time when the Israel-Gaza conflict has claimed numerous lives of innocent civilians on both sides, Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has written a letter to the BRICS countries, including India, urging them to call for a halt in the attacks on the Gaza strip.

The countries that are part of the bloc are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Moreover, Iran was admitted to the group during the BRICS summit in South Africa in August this year, along with five new members from 2024 onwards: Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran stated in a news release, “Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amirabdollahian, sent separate letters to the foreign ministers of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), expressing deep concern over the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in Palestine.”

“He urged for proactive and constructive intervention by the BRICS member countries to halt the attacks in the Gaza Strip, prevent crimes against humanity, and hold the aggressors accountable,” the release added.

In the letters sent by Amirabdollahian to the BRICS countries, which also includes India, he has called the Israeli retaliatory actions “part of the crimes committed against the oppressed Palestinian people.”

“The letters highlighted the illegal usurpation of Palestinian lands, mass killings, destruction of homes and farms, assaults on medical facilities, as well as the arrest, torture, and humiliation and attacking the dignity of men, women, and even children by the occupying regime. Amirabdollahian stressed that these actions are part of the crimes committed against the oppressed Palestinian people,” Iran Foreign Ministry release read.

Calling for prioritisation of situation in Gaza, the Foreign Minister of Iran emphasised the role of BRICS and other significant post-western alliances like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Union, SICA, ASEAN, and others.

“…Amirabdollahian urged these organizations to prioritize the dire situation in Gaza.
He called for urgent measures to address the most critical issues within the current global order, aiming to establish justice for the oppressed, hold accountable those responsible for international crimes, and create a just and equitable world order,” according to the release by the Iranian foreign ministry.

Recently on Sunday, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Amirabdollahian to discuss the raging Israel-Hamas war. The two leaders underscored the importance of preventing further escalation in the region and providing crucial humanitarian support.

They also agreed to maintain communication to address the evolving situation in West Asia.

“Spoke today with Iranian Foreign Minister @Amirabdolahian. Discussed the grave situation in West Asia and the concern of the international community. Conveyed the importance of preventing escalation and providing humanitarian support. Agreed to stay in touch,” posted EAM S Jaishankar on X.

Notably, Israel has continuously alleged that there is an “Iranian hand” in the attack; however, Iran has time and again said that Tehran was not involved in the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

Earlier, a week after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar and agreed to cooperate in “fully achieving” the goals of Hamas and the Palestinian people, the Jerusalem Post had reported.

This was Haniyeh’s first official meeting with Iranian officials since Hamas’s assault on southern Israel. During the meeting, the two agreed to “continue cooperation to fully achieve the goals of Hamas and the Palestinian people,” The Jerusalem Post had reported, citing a press release by Hamas.

Haniyeh had stated that “what comes after this battle is a new history that will not be at all the same as it was before it.”

Amirabdollahian had also called Hamas’s murder and kidnapping of civilians and soldiers in southern Israel “glorious”.