Iran war doesn't serve world interests: Xi urges BRICS to help restore peace

China's Xi Jinping urged Brics nations to help restore peace, saying the Iran and Middle East war has caused serious losses and serves no global interest. He called for opposition to sovereignty violations and interference in internal affairs. Xi said Brics countries should oppose violations of national sovereignty and interference in the internal affairs of countries and take a leading role in maintaining peace and stability. (Photo: Reuters)Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said the ongoing war in Iran and the wider Middle East has inflicted serious losses on people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community, urging Brics nations to stand on the “right side of history” and play a greater role in restoring peace and stability.Addressing the Brics Summit in New Delhi, Xi said Brics nations should oppose violations of national sovereignty and interference in the internal affairs of countries and take a leading role in maintaining peace and stability."China is willing to work with fellow BRICS members to play a due role in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region. The war has caused serious losses to people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community," Xi said.His remarks came against the backdrop of heightened tensions in West Asia, including the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted energy supplies, trade and transport across the region. Xi, who is in India after a seven-year gap, also called on Brics countries to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, while urging greater coordination on issues affecting global peace and development.The Chinese president arrived in New Delhi earlier on Saturday for the two-day Brics Summit, receiving a red-carpet welcome and a traditional Indian cultural reception, and is scheduled to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the evening. This will be the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders on Indian soil since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, one of the worst episodes of fighting between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in decades.The brutal hand-to-hand clash involved improvised weapons, including stones and barbed sticks, and left 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, dead. China officially acknowledged four deaths, although independent estimates have put the toll higher.The clash severely damaged trust between India and China. New Delhi subsequently banned several Chinese apps, while direct flights between the two countries, suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, remained halted for years.Today’s meeting comes after nearly seven years of efforts by both sides to repair ties. During this period, India and China maintained dialogue at multiple levels, from local military commanders to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart.Direct flights between the two countries also resumed this year, with another route scheduled to open later this month, signalling a gradual thaw in ties.However, the reset comes against the backdrop of lingering strategic concerns. It is also taking place a year after Operation Sindoor, during which China was believed to have provided Pakistan tacit tactical support, including satellite surveillance. That experience is likely to keep New Delhi cautious even as India and China seek to rebuild ties and pursue a broader reset through Saturday’s meeting.- EndsPublished By: Shipra ParasharPublished On: Sep 12, 2026 16:18 IST