Lavrov Proposes India as Long-Term Mediator Between Iran and Gulf Kingdoms

After the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting in India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed that India should serve as a long-term mediator between Iran and the Gulf Kingdoms. This was suggested due to the ongoing tensions between Iran and the UAE. He highlighted India’s rotating BRICS presidency and its major energy imports from the Gulf. Lavrov believed India could build on Pakistan's mediation efforts with the US, although he noted that Pakistan's role might be short-lived because of its connections to Saudi Arabia and the US. Unlike Pakistan, India is a founding BRICS member and a vital part of the Non-Aligned Movement, which could bolster Iran's trust in India's mediation. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has floated the idea of a non-aggression pact that India could help negotiate. However, BRICS is facing challenges with internal disagreements and lacks a unified response to the US-Israel situation with Iran. Lavrov also touched on China’s involvement with IMF loans for Ukraine and India's hesitance to issue a collective BRICS statement backing Iran.