BRICS Summit 2026: Iran and UAE Strengthen Ties Amid Middle East Conflict

The 18th BRICS summit concluded in the Indian capital New Delhi on Sunday (September 13, 2026), but the summit also saw an improvement in relations between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which have been strained by the Middle East conflict. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the two countries now want to leave the past behind and move forward. President Pezeshkian met UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the first day of the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12, 2026). A day later, on Sunday (September 13, 2026), the Iranian president made a major statement regarding the improvement of Iran-UAE relations. In fact, after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February this year, the war began. In response, Tehran targeted the US allies in the Gulf region, which also provoked a lot of action from the UAE. President Pezeshkian said that he was suspending trade talks with Iran's exchanges in August.