‘Surprise and relief’: Scribes from UAE, Iran react to their leaders’ meeting - indianexpress.com
The surprise meeting between UAE and Iran leaders, facilitated by India on the BRICS sidelines, signaled a diplomatic breakthrough that left scribes feeling “relief.” Both sides also hinted at expanding intra‑BRICS trade in alternative currencies, aiming to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions.
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The surprise meeting between UAE and Iran leaders, facilitated by India on the BRICS sidelines, signaled a diplomatic breakthrough that left scribes feeling “relief.” Both sides also hinted at expanding intra‑BRICS trade in alternative currencies, aiming to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions.
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**UAE‑Iran leaders meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, scribes say they felt “surprise and relief”**
In a development that caught regional analysts off‑guard, the United Arab Emirates and Iran held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS summit in Johannesburg. Both sides released brief statements, and journalists embedded with the delegations described a palpable shift in tone – “surprise and relief” – as the two governments exchanged handshakes and agreed to re‑engage on a range of diplomatic and economic issues that have long been stalled. The meeting, which was not widely advertised beforehand, marked the first high‑level encounter between the UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi (accompanied by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir‑Abdollahian) since the 2020 Abraham Accords reshaped Gulf politics.
India positioned itself as a neutral facilitator, inviting both parties to the conference hall and offering a “peace‑building” framework that emphasized dialogue over confrontation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office released a statement noting New Delhi’s “constructive role” in easing regional tensions, a sentiment echoed by President Droupadi Murmu during a private meeting with Iran’s senior envoy, where she urged “conflict resolution through diplomacy.” In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, senior Shia leader Maulana Kalbe Jawad met with Iranian officials, pressing for deeper India‑Iran cultural and trade ties, underscoring the broader sub‑regional impact of the talks.
Beyond the political thaw, the encounter opened a window for economic cooperation, especially within the BRICS platform. Tehran, still reeling from U.S. sanctions, called for “intra‑BRICS business in grouping currencies,” urging member states to expand trade settlements in rupees, yuan and roubles to bypass the dollar‑centric system. UAE officials signaled willingness to explore joint investments in renewable energy and logistics corridors linking the Gulf to Central Asia, while Indian diplomats highlighted the potential for a trilateral framework that could boost connectivity and reduce reliance on Western financial networks. Observers say the meeting could lay the groundwork for a more integrated, sanctions‑resilient economic bloc that benefits all three nations.
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