Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazim Gharibabadi said on Wednesday (13 May 2026) that Iran will welcome any initiative taken by major powers like India to maintain an environment of peace in West Asia. He said that it is developing a new service and payment-based framework for the movement of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international norms.

Garibabadi, who is currently in New Delhi, told a select group of journalists that BRICS’ demands for “one member state” to condemn Iran has prevented the group from reaching a unified position on the regional conflict. His reference was clearly to the United Arab Emirates. He said, “We want India’s BRICS chairmanship to be successful. It is not a good approach to send a message to the world that BRICS is divided. One country is insisting on condemning Iran.

Why did Garibabadi praise India?

“We have not attacked neighboring countries,” Garibabadi said. They handed over their territories to America so that it could attack us. We have never insisted that Arab countries should be condemned because they had handed over their military bases to the US. Garibabadi said that as the chair of BRICS, India has demonstrated “impartiality”.

This comment by the senior Iranian leader came a day before India hosted the conference of foreign ministers of the BRICS group ahead of its annual summit to be held in September. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are among those attending the two-day conference, which is expected to discuss the Middle East crisis widely. It will be interesting to see whether the Foreign Ministers’ Conference issues a unanimous statement on the ongoing conflict in West Asia or not.

Also read: Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi arrives in India amid war with America, will meet PM Modi-S Jaishankar today

Iran said- ‘Whatever India does, we will welcome it’

Garibabadi said, “India has always supported peace. He is in favor of peace and stability in this region. Whatever initiative India takes for peace, we will welcome it. Responding to a question related to Pakistan’s role as a mediator between Iran and the US, the Deputy Foreign Minister said that Tehran would welcome all such diplomatic efforts. He said, “Pakistan is only a mediator. We will welcome all such steps.

He said Iran is committed to the Chabahar port project and it is India’s job to decide how to proceed in view of the sanctions imposed by the US on the project. Gharibabadi was part of the Iranian negotiating team for talks with the US. He said Washington has suffered a strategic loss in the war and claimed it is not serious about ending the conflict through diplomacy.

Read this also- Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi reached India amid war with America, will meet PM Modi-S Jaishankar today.

Iran said- Hormuz will open if sanctions are lifted

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said his government will open the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifts the blockade of Iran’s ports, ends the war and releases Tehran’s seized assets. Gharibabadi said that Iran has allowed several Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and some more ships may also be allowed to return home. He claimed that if the Strait of Hormuz is opened now, it could be used for military purposes against Iran. The BRICS meeting will be chaired by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.