Iran President Pezeshkian to attend Delhi BRICS summit amid West Asia tensions

New Delhi: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian would travel to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit in September, Iranian sources confirmed on Friday, bringing Tehran's leadership to India at a sensitive point in the continuing West Asia conflict. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 chairship, with the presidency built around the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". New Delhi's agenda focused on resilience, technology and innovation, multilateral cooperation and sustainability. Pezeshkian's presence would carry significance beyond the BRICS gathering because of India's relationship with Iran and New Delhi's efforts to keep diplomatic channels open across West Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last met Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties, discussed West Asia and underlined the importance of Chabahar Port for India's connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Modi also invited Pezeshkian to visit India, an invitation the Iranian President accepted. The Delhi summit could now provide another opportunity for the two leaders to discuss Chabahar, regional security, energy and the situation around the Strait of Hormuz. Chabahar remained particularly important for India as an alternative connectivity route to Afghanistan and Central Asia. India Ports Global Limited signed a 10-year contract in May 2024 to operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal, while New Delhi continued diplomatic efforts around sanctions-related complications affecting the project. Why Pezeshkian's visit matters The visit would come as the Iran conflict continued to test regional security and global energy flows. Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remained high, with shipping facing renewed attacks and disputes over control of the strategic waterway. For India, Pezeshkian's presence could create diplomatic space to press for de-escalation while protecting its own interests in energy security, maritime trade and connectivity. Iran had earlier signalled that it saw room for a larger Indian diplomatic role. During BRICS-level engagements in New Delhi in May, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran welcomed a constructive Indian role in efforts to reduce regional tensions. The summit would also test India's ability to manage divisions inside the expanded BRICS grouping. A BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi in May failed to produce a joint statement after members differed over the Middle East conflict, exposing the challenges of maintaining consensus as the bloc grew. Iran became a full BRICS member in 2024 as part of the grouping's major expansion. Pezeshkian's participation in Delhi would therefore also underline Tehran's growing use of BRICS as a platform for diplomatic and economic engagement outside Western-led institutions.