logo
BRICS declaration condemns US, Israel strikes on Iran, war in Gaza

BRICS declaration condemns US, Israel strikes on Iran, war in Gaza

Indian Express13 hours ago
The BRICS leaders' declaration in Rio de Janeiro made a guarded statement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but condemned the Israel-US strikes on Iran and strongly condemned the war in Gaza.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the BRICS leaders' session on peace and security, said, 'From West Asia to Europe, today the world is surrounded by disputes and tensions. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a cause of great concern. India firmly believes that no matter how difficult the circumstances are, the path of peace is the only option for the welfare of humanity.'
'India is the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. There is no place for war and violence for us. India supports every effort that takes the world away from division and conflict and leads it towards dialogue, cooperation and coordination, and increases solidarity and trust. In this direction, we are committed to cooperation and partnership with all friendly countries.'
On the Russia-Ukraine war, the BRICS declaration said, 'We recall our national positions concerning the conflict in Ukraine as expressed in the appropriate fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly. We note with appreciation relevant proposals of mediation and good offices, including the creation of the African Peace Initiative and the Group of Friends for Peace, aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. We expect that current efforts will lead to a sustainable peace settlement.'
On the US-Israel strikes against Iran, it said, 'We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 13 June 2025, which constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and express grave concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East. We further express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the IAEA. Nuclear safeguards, safety, and security must always be upheld, including in armed conflicts, to protect people and the environment from harm. In this context, we reiterate our support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at addressing regional challenges. We call upon the United Nations Security Council to be seized of this matter.'
On the war in Gaza, the BRICS declaration expressed 'grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with the resumption of continuous Israeli attacks against Gaza and obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory'. 'We call for adherence to international law, in particular to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and condemn all violations of IHL, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare. We also condemn attempts to politicize or militarize humanitarian assistance'.
'We exhort the parties to engage in good faith in further negotiations to achieve an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and all other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the release of all hostages and detainees held in violation of international law, and sustained and unhindered access and delivery of humanitarian aid. We reassert our steadfast support for UNRWA and stress the need to fully respect the mandate, bestowed on it by the UNGA, for the provision of basic services to Palestine refugees in its five fields of operations. We call on all relevant parties to respect their obligations under international law and act with utmost restraint and to avoid escalatory actions and provocative declarations. We note, in this regard, the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice in the legal proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel, which, inter alia, reaffirmed Israel's legal obligation to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza,' it said.
The declaration expressed 'full support to India for its BRICS Chairship in 2026' and welcomed India's candidacy to host COP33 in 2028.
Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mamdani's 2015 post on al-Qaida terrorist returns to haunt him
Mamdani's 2015 post on al-Qaida terrorist returns to haunt him

India Today

time17 minutes ago

  • India Today

Mamdani's 2015 post on al-Qaida terrorist returns to haunt him

New York City's Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing fresh scrutiny after his past tweets surfaced in which he appeared to question the FBI's surveillance tactics of Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born cleric later linked to terror outfit al-Qaida, and suggested that American intelligence actions may have contributed to Awlaki's 2015 post surfaced days after US President Donald Trump called the mayoral candidate a "100% Communist lunatic" and warned that the Democrat would be arrested if he stopped the immigration department from carrying out raids. Mamdani has also been under scrutiny over his family a 2015 post on X (formerly Twitter), Mamdani questioned al-Awlaki's surveillance the FBI had done after the 9/11 attacks. "Why no proper interrogation of what it means for the FBI to have conducted an extensive survey into Awlaki's private life? (sic)" asked Mamdani on X (formerly Twitter) in 2015."How could Awlaki have ever trusted the FBI to not release surveillance, especially if he continued to critique [the] state? Why no further discussion of how Awlaki's knowledge of surveillance eventually led him to alqaeda? Or what that says about [the] efficacy of surveillanec? (sic)," Mamdani said. Screenshort of Zohran Mamdani's 2015 posts. Awlaki, who was born in New Mexico to Yemeni parents, served as an imam in US mosques and came under federal scrutiny for his suspected ties to three of the 9/11 terrorists, according to a report in the New York never charged with involvement in the attacks, Awlaki later emerged as a senior figure in al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and was killed in a 2011 US drone strike in was put under surveillance by the FBI after 9/11, a probe that uncovered, among other things, that the conservative, family-values-preaching cleric was frequenting sex workers at hotels, according to the ORDERED AIRSTRIKE ON THE AMERICAN CITIZENAl-Awlaki moved to Yemen in 2004, where he joined terror outfit al-Qaida and helped plan multiple terrorist attacks while spreading jihadist messages through videos and cleric was considered so dangerous that then-president Barack Obama approved the drone strike that killed him in 2011, an unprecedented assassination of an American citizen who had not been charged with a crime, The New York Post reported."He directed the failed attempt to blow up an airplane on Christmas Day in 2009. He directed the failed attempt to blow up US cargo planes in 2010," Obama said at the time, according to the report."And he repeatedly called on individuals in the United States and around the globe to kill innocent men, women, and children to advance a murderous agenda," Obama added. Al-Awlaki moved to Yemen in 2004 and joined terror outfit al-Qaeda (Photo: AFP) MAMDANI'S COMMENTS ENRAGED 9/11 VICTIMS' FAMILIES, US OFFICIALSMamdani's comments have enraged 9/11 victims' families and US anti-terror officials, who view his remarks as Long Island Representative Peter King said holding the US responsible for al-Awlaki's deeds is like blaming the Jews for Hitler."To blame the United States for al-Awlaki is like blaming the Jews for Hitler," King, who chaired the House Homeland Security Committee and served on the Intelligence Committee that received confidential briefings on the slain terrorist, was quoted as saying by the New York Post."Mamdani is making excuses and rationalising al-Awlaki joining al-Qaida," King Lieutenant of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Jim McCaffrey, whose brother-in-law, FDNY Battalion 7 Chief Orio Palmer, rushed into the World Trade Centre's south tower to try to help people before the building collapsed, called Mamdani's comments "very offensive to 9/11 victims and their families," the New York-based tabloid reported."It's offensive to all New Yorkers and all Americans," he said."It's an absolutely ridiculous assertion on Mamdani's part. The FBI agents were doing their job," said McCaffrey, who himself spent many days participating in search and recovery efforts at Ground guy, al-Awlaki had connections to al-Qaida. But [Mamdani's] blaming the FBI?" he said, slamming New York Post reported that intelligence sources claimed al-Awlaki's disciples had been linked to about a quarter of the Islamists convicted of terrorism-related offences in the US from 2007 until his death.- EndsMust Watch

Is Xi Jinping's dream of being China's 'president for life' unravelling?
Is Xi Jinping's dream of being China's 'president for life' unravelling?

First Post

time19 minutes ago

  • First Post

Is Xi Jinping's dream of being China's 'president for life' unravelling?

After over a decade of unchallenged authority, Xi Jinping is showing signs of stepping back. From skipping key summits like Brics in Brazil to quietly redistributing the Chinese Communist Party control, China's most dominant leader since Mao may be preparing for a shift. Is the era of Xi as 'president for life' beginning to fade as the 2027 Party Congress approaches? read more Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the Kremlin to attend a festive concert, held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025. File Image/RIA Novosti via Reuters Chinese President Xi Jinping is beginning to relinquish some of his long-held control over the operations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). For the first time in his leadership, key responsibilities are being passed down to Party institutions and senior colleagues, a move that experts see as significant given Xi's history of centralising power. In late June, the Politburo — China's core political decision-making body — examined a new framework regulating Party-affiliated organs. These bodies, known as central commissions and leading groups, have played a growing role in Chinese governance throughout Xi's tenure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to Xinhua, these groups are expected to focus on 'planning, discussing and checking on major matters.' This redefinition of duties aims to strengthen coordination across Party institutions, which have increasingly taken on functions that were once the domain of state agencies. Most of these organisations were either created or given expanded authority under Xi, especially in sensitive sectors such as finance, science and technology, cybersecurity and national security. Some of these entities have already begun operating under the leadership of figures other than Xi, including Premier Li Qiang, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, and Cai Qi, Xi's chief of staff. CCP devolves under Xi Jinping Over the last decade, the CCP has overhauled several state functions by transferring authority to Party-led mechanisms. During Xi's rule, the creation or elevation of 'leading small groups' into 'central commissions' has become a recurring strategy to assert direct Party oversight. This transformation has affected multiple policy areas, including economic reform, religious affairs, and overseas Chinese relations. A notable example is the transformation of the group overseeing Hong Kong and Macau. Initially a modest entity, it was upgraded to a Party commission in 2020 and took control from the previously dominant State Council-based office. Similar structural changes were implemented in 2023, where commissions on finance and science were placed under Li Qiang and Ding Xuexiang, respectively. The cyberspace commission, a critical agency for China's internet governance and data regulation, is now chaired by Cai Qi. Xi's muted visibility Xi Jinping's recent absences from major international events have also drawn attention. For the first time since assuming the presidency, he did not attend the Brics summit, held this year in Rio de Janeiro. Chinese Premier Li Qiang led the Chinese delegation. This followed a similar pattern in 2023, when Xi skipped the G20 summit in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Between May 21 and June 5, Xi did not appear in public for 14 consecutive days. This unusually long silence, uncharacteristic for the Chinese president, added to questions about shifts in his leadership style. Additionally, a new Revolutionary Memorial Hall opened in Shaanxi Province was not named after Xi's father, Xi Zhongxun, despite expectations to the contrary. Xi Zhongxun was a senior figure in the Party, and the absence of his name from the hall stood out amid Xi Jinping's otherwise consistent emphasis on his revolutionary lineage. Xi Jinping, China's 'president for life' Xi Jinping's current authority stems from a series of institutional reforms and leadership consolidations that began when he assumed power in 2012. He rapidly ascended through the ranks, simultaneously holding the top three positions in China's political structure: General Secretary of the Communist Party, President of the country, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Soon after taking office, Xi launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that penalised over a million Party members and removed several high-ranking military officers. This effort bolstered his standing as an uncompromising reformer and helped dismantle potential opposition. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During his second term, Xi's political clout was further cemented when he was formally designated as the 'core leader' of the CCP — a title previously reserved for Mao Zedong. In 2018, the National People's Congress approved a constitutional amendment eliminating the two-term limit for the presidency. This cleared the way for Xi to pursue a third term, which he secured in 2022 as General Secretary, followed by re-election as president in 2023. With this shift, Xi diverged from all his predecessors, who voluntarily stepped down after two five-year terms. His continuation in office without term limits earned him the unofficial title of 'President for Life.' Headwinds challenging Xi's power Despite his ironclad hold on power, Xi's tenure has not been without controversy or crisis. His handling of the Covid-19 pandemic faced widespread criticism, both domestically and internationally. When the virus emerged in late 2019, doctors who first raised alarms were detained, and Xi remained silent publicly until January 20, 2020, despite being briefed on the outbreak on January 7. This delay is widely viewed as a lost opportunity to contain the virus early. The subsequent enforcement of the 'zero-Covid' policy involved mass lockdowns, forced quarantines and extensive travel restrictions. Though initially hailed as a success, the policy eventually crippled China's economy and triggered rare public demonstrations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its sudden reversal in December 2022 left millions un-vaccinated, particularly the elderly and raised questions about planning and transparency. By July 2022, only 51 per cent of citizens over the age of 80 had received a single vaccine dose, compared to 93 per cent in Japan. Economic challenges have also heated up. When Xi first came to power, China's GDP grew at 7.8 per cent in 2013, already slower than previous years. Since then, growth has steadily declined. Promises to double the size of the economy by 2035 remain far off-track amid a slowing property sector, declining exports and regulatory crackdowns on private enterprises. In foreign policy, Xi's assertive posture has alienated several regional neighbours. China's expansive claims in the South China Sea, under the so-called 'nine-dash line,' have escalated tensions with countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, pushing them closer to the United States — an outcome contrary to Beijing's strategic objectives. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dissent within the top ranks Xi's leadership has also seen repeated purges of top-level officials, indicating an undercurrent of instability within the CCP's upper echelons. In 2023 alone, Defence Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were removed from office. That same year, Foreign Minister Qin Gang — formerly ambassador to the US and a fluent English speaker — disappeared from public view just months into his role. While Wei and Li were reportedly ousted over corruption charges, no explanation has been offered for Qin's removal. The expulsion of Admiral Miao Hua from the Central Military Commission — the apex command structure of China's armed forces — further suggests discord within the military leadership. These developments, though rarely acknowledged in state media, hint at fractures inside the tightly guarded corridors of Chinese power. Although Xi continues to dominate headlines — appearing on the front page of People's Daily 157 times between April and June 2025 — there are clear signs that the monolithic image of his rule is being tested. What next ahead of CCP's National Congress in 2027? Xi Jinping turned 72 in June this year. The next significant milestone in China's political calendar is the 21st National Congress of the Communist Party, scheduled for 2027. That event will mark the end of Xi's third term as General Secretary and could provide clarity on whether he plans to remain at the helm or initiate a phased handover of responsibilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although some analysts have suggested that recent developments could indicate preparations for succession, others note that no apparent successor has been identified. Unlike previous leaders, Xi did not promote a designated heir at the end of his first term in 2017 and has refrained from doing so since. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies

Tariff worries, Trump's BRICS swipe spark worst rupee fall in three weeks
Tariff worries, Trump's BRICS swipe spark worst rupee fall in three weeks

Economic Times

time20 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

Tariff worries, Trump's BRICS swipe spark worst rupee fall in three weeks

The Indian rupee slumped on Monday as uncertainty about U.S. tariff policies resurfaced with President Donald Trump's threat of a fresh 10% levy on BRICS countries compounding pressure on the local currency alongside peers like South African rand and Chinese yuan. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Indian rupee slumped on Monday as uncertainty about U.S. tariff policies resurfaced with President Donald Trump 's threat of a fresh 10% levy on BRICS countries compounding pressure on the local currency alongside peers like South African rand and Chinese over U.S. trade policies dented risk sentiment across the board, pushing Asian currencies and equities into the red while U.S. equity futures pointed to a weak return from the long rupee had declined to a low of 86.0275 per U.S. dollar during the session but pared losses to close at 85.85 per U.S. dollar, down 0.5% on the day, its worst performance since mid-June, when it traded in the shadow of a military conflict between Israel and a social media post, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would start delivering tariff letters from 12:00 pm ET (1600 GMT) on a separate post, he rolled out a wholly new tariff policy, calling for countries "aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies" of the BRICS developing nations to be charged an extra 10% tariff, with no exceptions to be was not immediately clear if Trump's tariff threat would derail trade talks with India and other BRICS nations. The South African rand fell 1% after Trump's threat while the offshore Chinese yuan was down 0.2%.The absence of progress on trade negotiations over the weekend has come as a negative surprise for markets with Trump's BRICS remark especially hurting the rupee, said Dilip Parmar, a foreign exchange research analyst at HDFC expects the Reserve Bank of India to step in to support the rupee if volatility remains elevated due to uncertainty on U.S. trade the day, traders also pointed to strong dollar demand from a large local private bank which pressured the local currency.A fall below the 85.80 level triggered stop-losses and accentuated the day's move, a trader at a state-run bank said. He expects the currency to weaken to 86.50 in the near-term in the absence of positive developments on the trade front.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store