India bridging Gulf divide amid war? Iran’s Pezeshkian meets UAE Crown Prince at BRICS

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and UAE Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks on Saturday (Sep 12) at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The two leaders held a meeting amid the tensions in the Middle East fueled by the US-Iran war. The meeting highlights India’s role in acting as a bridge between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, as relations between the two Gulf nations soured when Tehran retaliated against the US strikes across the region.

In a statement, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said that the Crown Prince and the Iranian president held talks over regional and international issues. The two leaders also discussed the importance of supporting de-escalation efforts, reducing tensions and achieving stability in the region.

“Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, discusses with the Iranian President, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, a number of regional and international issues, and the importance of supporting de-escalation efforts, reducing tensions, and achieving stability in the region, as well as enhancing opportunities for peace and development for its peoples, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in India,” the statement read.