11 September,2026 05:13 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (right) was received by Union Minister of State (MoS) Shantanu Thakur in New Delhi on Friday. PIC/X
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received at the airport by Union Minister of State (MoS) Shantanu Thakur. Pezeshkian's visit comes amid ongoing tensions in West Asia and Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States (US).
Extending a warm welcome to the Iranian President, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X: "India and Iran share civilizational ties, marked by robust cultural and people-to-people bonds. As BRICS partners, the two countries are working to contribute to shared progress and prosperity."
As BRICS chair in 2026, India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, bringing together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees.
BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
The BRICS partner countries are Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Earlier this week, confirming Pezeshkian's visit, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said that India and Iran share a "long-standing, historic and civilisational relationship".
He stressed that Tehran would use the BRICS Summit to pursue further discussions with New Delhi on areas of mutual interest.
"India is a member of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS. It is also one of the countries with which we have good relations in various areas, particularly trade and economic cooperation," Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Baqaei as saying.
"Various issues are usually discussed during consultations between Iran and India, including the Chabahar Port, which is important to both countries," he said, emphasising that Iran's ties with India "continue to develop".
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said leaders from across the world will gather in New Delhi over the next few days for the BRICS Summit, expressing confidence that the high-level meeting will witness positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind.
"Over the next few days, leaders from around the world will gather for the BRICS Summit. I am confident that the Summit will see positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind," PM Modi said in a post on X.
Last month, Prime Minister Modi and Pezeshkian held a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek, reiterating their commitment to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors.
The two leaders reviewed recent developments in the West Asia region, with PM Modi reiterating India's stance that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, according to the MEA.
(With IANS inputs)
