BRICS Summit convenes in New Delhi amidst escalating Middle East conflicts and warnings from Russia regarding European troop deployment to Ukraine.

Iranian officials frame the regional conflict as 'military aggression by the United States and Israel' and emphasize Iran's commitment to securing shipping routes, while the US President directly attributes the Saudi pipeline attack to Iran.

Here's exactly what each side is claiming.

The disagreement: Iranian officials frame the regional conflict as 'military aggression by the United States and Israel' and emphasize Iran's commitment to securing shipping routes, while the US President directly attributes the Saudi pipeline attack to Iran.

Each outlet's position is reported as that outlet's position, not as established fact. Every contradiction we've recorded →

Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including Houthi territorial gains and attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, threaten global energy security and shipping. Geopolitical tensions are heightened by Russia's warnings regarding Ukraine and the BRICS bloc's challenge to existing global economic structures.

📌 Key developments

• The 18th BRICS Summit commenced in New Delhi, India, with leaders from 11 member states discussing economic cooperation, multilateralism, and global conflicts.
• Houthi rebels gained full control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and Perim Island, expanding their hold over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
• Saudi Arabia halted operations of its East-West oil pipeline following a drone attack, with US President Donald Trump attributing responsibility to Iran.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning that any deployment of European troops to Ukraine would lead to war with Russia.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping urged BRICS nations to adopt a peacemaking role in the West Asia conflict, stating it does not serve international interests.

💡 Why it matters

The BRICS summit's focus on de-dollarization and multilateralism challenges the existing global economic order, while the escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine pose direct threats to international stability, energy supply chains, and global trade routes. These developments signal a period of heightened geopolitical fragmentation and economic uncertainty.

🎭 People in the news

• Narendra Modi — Indian Prime Minister, hosting the 18th BRICS Summit and advocating for a greater voice for the Global South.
• Vladimir Putin — Russian President, attending the BRICS Summit and warning against European troop deployment to Ukraine.
• Xi Jinping — Chinese President, attending the BRICS Summit and calling for the bloc to act as a peacemaker in the West Asia conflict.
• Donald Trump — US President, attributing the Saudi pipeline attack to Iran and predicting an end to the war 'very soon.'
• Masoud Pezeshkian — Iranian President, attending the BRICS Summit and discussing the 'military aggression by the United States and Israel.'

👀 What to watch

• Further statements and agreements from the ongoing BRICS Summit, particularly regarding economic cooperation and positions on global conflicts.
• Responses from international actors to the Houthi territorial gains and the Saudi pipeline attack.
• Any further developments or reactions to President Putin's warning regarding European troops in Ukraine.