External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
Iran urged India, the BRICS Chair, to ensure the grouping of developed countries plays a role in supporting “global stability and security”, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar late on Thursday night (March 12, 2026).
The call between the two Ministers, the fourth conversation between them since the war began on February 28 with the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to request Iran’s support for Indian ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), fuel and other goods to pass safely through the Hormuz Strait.
Iran-Israel war LIVE updates – March 13, 2026
Mr. Araghchi’s stress on BRICS is significant as India is expected to host the Summit this year, where both Iran and the United Arab Emirates will be invited along with leaders of Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia. Thus far, the grouping has made no statement on the war that enters its third week on Saturday (March 14, 2026).
On Friday afternoon (March 13, 2026), Mr. Jaishankar posted a short note saying he had “another conversation” with Mr. Araghchi, and had discussed “bilateral matters as also BRICS-related issues.” An official confirmed to The Hindu that India was engaged with all its BRICS partners on the situation in West Asia, but didn’t confirm if there was consensus on a statement yet. Mr. Jaishankar had earlier spoken to his Iranian counterpart on February 28, March 5 and March 10.
“Mr. Araghchi stressed the necessity for regional and international bodies and organizations to condemn the military aggression against Iran,” said an Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs readout of the conversation released by the Mehr News Agency on Friday (March 13, 2026). “Highlighting the importance and position of BRICS as a forum for developing multilateral cooperation, Mr. Araghchi deemed it essential for the institution to play a constructive role at the current juncture in supporting regional and global stability and security.”
The request from Tehran for a BRICS statement to “condemn the military aggression against Iran”, could prove awkward as India has thus far not criticised the U.S.-Israel strikes on the country, or a U.S. submarine’s torpedoing of an Iranian Ship returning from India in the Indian Ocean last week. It condoled but didn’t condemn the assassination of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini. However, the government “expressed grief” on Thursday (March 12, 2026) over the killing of schoolgirls at a school in Mubin on February 28.
Thanking Indians for signing the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy, Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohamed Fathali told journalists that the messages they received on Ayatollah Khameini’s death served as a “testament to the depth of the historical and cultural ties that have long existed between India and Iran”.
“The true extent of this profound bond can be gauged by the sentiments expressed by the people here,” he added.
Published – March 13, 2026 03:14 pm IST
