BRICS Summit Concludes with Strong Stance on Iran, Gaza, and Global Order
The 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit wrapped up today, July 7, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro, under Brazil's chairmanship, solidifying the bloc's commitment to "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance." The summit, which ran from July 5th, underscored Brazil's ambition to empower developing nations and reshape global institutions to reflect current realities.
A major outcome of the summit was the BRICS bloc's unequivocal condemnation of recent military strikes on Iranian territory, deeming them a "violation of international law." While refraining from explicitly naming the United States or Israel, the joint statement expressed "grave concern" over attacks on Iran's military, nuclear, and civilian infrastructure since June 13, 2025 – a diplomatic triumph for Tehran, a newly expanded BRICS member.
The Gaza crisis and the situation in the "Occupied Palestinian territory" also featured prominently, with the BRICS declaration calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. The leaders also highlighted allegations of starvation being used as a tactic and the obstruction of humanitarian aid.
On the economic front, BRICS leaders voiced "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures," a veiled critique of U.S. President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs, which they believe threaten global economic stability. Trump, in turn, has issued a warning of additional 10% tariffs on nations aligning with the BRICS bloc's "anti-American policies."
A central pillar of the summit was the reform of global governance institutions, including the UN Security Council, IMF, World Bank, and WTO, with leaders emphasizing the urgent need for a more equitable, representative, and multipolar world order.
Under Brazil's leadership, the BRICS agenda focused on six key priorities: promoting equitable global health access, diversifying trade and investment (with an emphasis on BRICS currency initiatives), fostering a "BRICS Climate Leadership Agenda" and green finance, advocating for inclusive AI governance, reforming the multilateral peace and security system, and strengthening the institutional development of BRICS.
This 17th summit marked a significant milestone, being the first gathering of Heads of State and Government from the expanded BRICS bloc, which now includes Indonesia, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Egypt. Malaysia, having officially attained BRICS Partner Country status on January 1, 2025, also saw its Prime Minister attending, signaling a push for stronger engagement between ASEAN and BRICS.
The summit's rigorous program included plenary sessions dedicated to "Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance," "Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic-Financial Affairs, and Artificial Intelligence," and "Environment, COP30, and Global Health."
