The BRICS Fault Line: A Fashion for Fading Alliances?

The BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in West Asia has turned into a display of internal tensions, with Iran and the UAE locked in a bitter dispute. This confrontation reflects deeper fault lines within the grouping itself.

The UAE’s stance is particularly problematic. By seeking a condemnation of Iran’s actions without acknowledging its own complicity in regional conflicts, Abu Dhabi is essentially asking BRICS to ignore its role in supporting US and Israeli actions against Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has laid bare this uncomfortable alliance with his blistering criticism of the UAE’s support for military bases, airspace, land, and facilities provided to adversaries.

The UAE’s junior foreign minister had made unfounded claims that sparked Araghchi’s remarks, adding to the sense of acrimony. This tit-for-tat has created an impasse that threatens to scupper a joint statement from BRICS on West Asia.

Iran’s position is equally contentious. By pushing back against what it sees as US and Israeli aggression, Tehran is prioritizing its own interests over collective goals within BRICS. This pattern of behavior is not unique to Iran; other member-states also prioritize individual interests over collective action.

The meeting’s outcome will have significant implications for BRICS’ ability to project itself as a cohesive bloc on the global stage. If no consensus emerges, the grouping may be forced to settle for a Chair’s statement, highlighting its internal divisions. This setback reflects a deeper erosion of trust among member-states.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had stressed the importance of institutional development and integration within BRICS, aimed at new members like Iran and the UAE but applicable to all member-states. However, these countries are still grappling with their own internal dynamics, raising questions about BRICS’ capacity for collective action.

As foreign ministers head into their final session on Friday morning, it’s clear that this meeting will not be a triumph of unity over discord. Instead, it will serve as a reminder of the challenges facing BRICS in projecting itself as a major player on the global stage. The outcome may yet hold surprises, but for now, it seems that BRICS’ internal fault lines are a significant problem.

The implications of this confrontation go beyond BRICS itself. As the world grapples with rising tensions in West Asia and the Middle East, the collapse of international institutions, and the growing influence of non-state actors, the need for strong alliances has never been greater. The failure of BRICS to present a united front on these issues will only serve to embolden those who seek to disrupt global order.

In this context, the future of international relations itself is at stake. As we watch this drama unfold, one thing is certain: the fault lines within BRICS are a stark reminder that even the most well-intentioned alliances can be fragile and prone to collapse.