BRICS leaders demand ceasefire in Gaza, condemn strikes on Iran
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BRICS leaders call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza, condemn strikes on Iran, and urge "Israel" to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
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World leaders pose for a group photo at the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, on July 6, 2025 (AP)
Leaders of the BRICS bloc, comprising 11 emerging economies, issued a strong and unified call on Sunday for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, as the war enters its 22nd month.
In the final declaration of their summit held in Rio de Janeiro, BRICS leaders urged all parties to engage in good-faith negotiations to halt the war on Gaza and demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip and all other parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.
"We exhort the parties to engage in good faith in further negotiations to achieve an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire," the 11-nation bloc said in a final summit statement.
The statement comes as indirect truce negotiations between the Israeli occupation and Hamas resumed in Doha, with international pressure mounting for a resolution to the war.
BRICS condemns strikes on Iran
The summit also addressed the recent escalation between Iran and "Israel", during which the latter launched an unprovoked 12-day war on the Islamic Republic, culminating in US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
"We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025," the statement read, without directly naming the United States or "Israel".
It added, "We express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, which constitute a violation of international law."
BRICS demands Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon
Moreover, the statement called for a ceasefire in Lebanon and for all "parties to strictly adhere to its terms and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701," adding, "We condemn the ongoing violations of the ceasefire, as well as the violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"We urge Israel to respect the terms agreed upon with the Lebanese government and to withdraw its occupying forces from all Lebanese territory, including the five remaining sites in southern Lebanon."
BRICS demands Israeli withdrawal from Syria
Regarding Syria, the BRICS leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country, calling on "Israel" to withdraw troops from Syrian territory without delay, according to the statement.
"We reaffirm our commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria and call for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political process, based on the principles of Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015), in a manner that ensures the security and well-being of the civilian population, without discrimination," it read.
The statement further condemned the threat posed by foreign terrorists in Syria and the risk of the spread of terrorists from Syria to regional countries.
"Syria should firmly oppose all forms of terrorism and extremism and take concrete actions to respond to concerns of the international community about terrorism," it added.
The BRICS leaders welcomed the lifting of sanctions on Syria and expressed their hope that the country's economy will be rebuilt.
It is worth noting that the next BRICS summit will be held in India in 2026, a final declaration of the Rio De Janeiro summit said.
BRICS encourages diplomatic efforts on Ukraine
On the Ukrainian issue, the leaders expressed hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts, including the African Peace Initiative and the Group of Friends for Peace, would lead to a sustainable resolution, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy to this end.
"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," the statement read.
Criticism of Trump’s trade policies
In addition to Middle East affairs, the summit took aim at US economic policy. BRICS leaders expressed "serious concerns" over US President Donald Trump’s recent wave of unilateral tariffs, calling them "indiscriminate" and damaging to global trade.
“We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules,” the statement said.
The bloc warned that these actions could "disrupt global supply chains" and increase economic uncertainty, particularly as Trump has threatened new tariffs on trading partners unless “deals” are reached by August 1.
Lula urges BRICS action on Gaza
In his opening remarks at the summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva drew a parallel with the Cold War's Non-Aligned Movement, a group of developing nations that resisted formally joining either side of a polarized global order.
"BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement," Lula told leaders. "With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again."
BRICS nations now represent more than half the world's population and 40% of its economic output, Lula noted in remarks on Saturday to business leaders, warning of rising protectionism.
"If international governance does not reflect the new multipolar reality of the 21st century, it is up to BRICS to help bring it up to date," Lula added in his opening remarks.
Furthermore, he defended the integrity of Iran's borders, following the Israeli war and the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, highlighting the failure of US-led wars in the Middle East.
"We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war," Lula told fellow BRICS leaders, including those from China, India, and other key emerging economies.
The renewed BRICS stance comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday. Trump has been pushing for an end to the war and expressed hope for a ceasefire agreement in the coming week.
Putin calls era of liberal globalization 'obsolete'
In his video statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the formation of a new BRICS investment platform to be developed through the New Development Bank.
"This is a matter of jointly developing harmonized tools to support and raise funds for the economies of our countries and those of the global South and East," Putin stated, underlining the growing use of national currencies in intra-BRICS trade and calling for further expansion of this practice to reduce dependence on external systems.
Growing global influence
Putin noted that BRICS' global authority and influence continue to grow each year, surpassing the G7 in terms of purchasing power parity.
"The authority and influence of our association in the world are growing from year to year. BRICS has rightfully established itself among the key centers of global governance," he said.
He added that BRICS has many like-minded partners in the Global South and East and that the shift away from a unipolar world order is accelerating.
Speaking via video link to the summit in Rio de Janeiro, Putin told BRICS leaders that the era of liberal globalization was obsolete and that the future belonged to swiftly growing emerging markets, which should enhance the use of their national currencies for trade.
"Everything indicates that the model of liberal globalization is becoming obsolete," Putin said, adding, "The center of business activity is shifting toward the emerging markets."
Putin also called on the BRICS countries to step up cooperation in a range of spheres, including natural resources, logistics, trade, and finance.
Araghchi mourns Iranians killed by 'Israel' in BRICS speech
At the BRICS summit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a moving speech where he mourned the Iranians killed by the recent Israeli aggression on Iran.
Araghchi expressed gratitude to fellow BRICS members who recognized the seriousness of recent escalations and condemned the aggression, detailing the destruction of residential areas, military sites, and civilian infrastructure.
The attacks, he said, resulted in the deaths of off-duty soldiers, scientists, university professors, and civilians, including women and children.
Particularly alarming, he noted, was the targeting of Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, which are under strict International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight. The foreign minister accused the US of direct involvement in the strikes, reinforcing its complicity in what he called "Israel’s" broader campaign of occupation, apartheid, and regional destabilization.
He warned that these attacks not only inflicted human and infrastructural damage but also delivered a "lethal blow" to diplomacy and the international rule of law, occurring just days before a scheduled round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
Calling for international accountability, the top Iranian diplomat urged BRICS leaders to recognize the dangerous precedent set by what he described as unprovoked, lawless aggression by two nuclear-armed states.
"As I stand here, my great people are mourning for the loved ones they lost as result of Israel's unprovoked aggression"
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) July 6, 2025
Foreign Minister @araghchi delivers speech at the 17th #BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
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