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BRICS members at odds over Iran war, but Lamola insists bloc retains solidarity

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · · 1048 words · By Peter Fabricius
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What to know about BRICS members at odds over Iran war, but Lamola insists bloc retains solidarity

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola does not believe the solidarity of BRICS has been damaged by its failure to agree on a common position on the Iran war.

Claims checked 15
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola does not believe the solidarity of BRICS has been damaged by its failure to agree on a common position on the Iran war.

Why it matters

Sharp differences between member states Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — which are on opposite sides in the war — prevented the BRICS foreign ministers from issuing a consensus communique after their meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

Common ground

Instead, they could only put out a Chair’s Statement, which is the usual diplomatic fallback position when consensus can’t be reached.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-19-brics-members-at-odds-over-ir…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8
schedule Pending 5
info Single Source 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “two founding members, China and India, had a long-standing border dispute”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 2: “tensions in BRICS, particularly between China and India over their border dispute in Kashmir”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 3: “the member with reservations was Iran... because this paragraph “speaks indirectly to their blocking of the Strait of Hormuz””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 4: “the ministers had “stressed the importance of ensuring the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms of vessels of all states in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, in accordance with international law””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “The Chair’s Statement underlined the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, “and reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine”.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the Chair's Statement reaffirmed support for Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution, including the right to self-determination.
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web search NEUTRAL — 16. They reaffirmed that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means and depends on the fulfillment of the legitimate rights of the Palestini…
https://www.mid.ru/upload/medialibrary/ec5/z5vn4uklstybzsqba…
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web search NEUTRAL — The Chair’s Statement reportedly reaffirmed BRICS’ support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and reiterated commitment to the two-state solution based on international law, relevan…
https://english.gujaratsamachar.com/news/international/brics…
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web search NEUTRAL — Brics foreign ministers in New Delhi issued a chair's statement that recorded differing views on the Iran conflict and called for an early resolution in West Asia. The document also reaffirmed support…
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/brics-foreign-minister…
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Claim 6: “they could only put out a Chair’s Statement”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Reuters, and other web search results) explicitly state that India issued a 'Chair's Statement' instead of a joint statement.
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web search NEUTRAL — "The Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document demonstrate broad consensus on international and regional issues, the future development of BRICS, as well as reform of global governance and the multilater…
https://ianslive.in/brics-chairs-statement-demonstrates-broa…
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web search NEUTRAL — NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India issued a chair's statement on Friday at the conclusion of the annual BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi instead of a joint statement and said there were differin…
https://dunyanews.tv/en/World/951790-india-issues-chair-stat…
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web search NEUTRAL — India issued a chair's statement, which also reflected two fault lines linked to Palestine and Yemen as well as greater convergence on economic issues.
https://thewire.in/diplomacy/iran-uae-deadlock-precludes-joi…
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Claim 7: “The 63-point statement by Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the foreign minister of India, who is chairing BRICS this year”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms India chaired the meeting and issued a statement, the specific detail that it was a '63-point statement' is not mentioned in the provided evidence. The provided web results for this claim are generic news landing pages and do not contain the specific point count.
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web search NEUTRAL — 3 hours ago · Get the latest updates and breaking news from India, including politics, elections, government, business, technology, and Bollywood.
https://www.ndtv.com/india
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web search NEUTRAL — 2 hours ago · Times of India brings the Latest News & Top Breaking headlines on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Business, Bollywood News and Entertainment, Science, T…
https://m.timesofindia.com/international-home
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web search NEUTRAL — 5 hours ago · Read all India news and breaking news today from India on politics, business, entertainment, technology, sports, lifestyle and more at CNBC TV18.
https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/
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Claim 8: “the UAE was a US ally and hosted significant US military assets, including bases”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 9: “this member was Iran, which registered its reservation because it does not recognise the separate states of Israel and Palestine”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny that Iran registered a reservation specifically because it does not recognize Israel and Palestine as separate states.
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Claim 10: “Iran accusing the UAE of actively participating in the US and Israeli military assault on Iran”
CORROBORATED
Wikipedia, Google News, and Daily Times all report that Iran has accused the UAE of being an active partner or participating in US-Israeli military assaults on Iran.
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web search NEUTRAL — Main articles: 2026 Iran–United States crisis, Iran–Israel proxy conflict, and 2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East.Iran concluded that UAE actions went beyond hosting US military fa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_strikes_on_the_Un…
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web search NEUTRAL — Iran accuses United Arab Emirates of being 'active partner' in US-Israeli war.Iranian FM accuses UAE of ‘direct’ role in attacks on Iran. 16 hours ago. Save for later.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — Iranian state television has also aired commentary from analysts accusing the UAE of involvement in attacks on Iran, further deepening political tensions between the neighbouring countries.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1493480/iran-accuses-uae-of-backin…
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Claim 11: “Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had urged the other BRICS member states to condemn “violations of international law” by the US and Israel”
CORROBORATED
Al Jazeera and other sources confirm that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged BRICS members to condemn violations of international law by the US and Israel.
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web search NEUTRAL — BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries: Brazil, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. [1] Its conceptual orig…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 20, 2025 · About the BRICS The BRICS is a group formed by eleven countries: Brasil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran. It…
https://brics.br/en/about-the-brics
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 26, 2025 · As BRICS grows in both membership and global sway, its expansion comes with divisions among its members old and new on how to set the stage for a revised world order.
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/what-brics-group-and-why-i…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 12: “BRICS foreign ministers [failed to issue] a consensus communique after their meeting in New Delhi on Friday.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results (AP, Reuters/India-based sources, and Pakistan Today) confirm that the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi ended without a joint/consensus communique due to divisions.
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web search NEUTRAL — NEW DELHI (AP) — A two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS nations concluded in New Delhi on Friday without a joint statement because of “differing views among some members” on the situati…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/brics-ministers-fail-iss…
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web search NEUTRAL — NEW DELHI: BRICS foreign ministers ended their meeting without a joint statement after divisions emerged over the war involving Iran.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/05/16/brics-foreign-mi…
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web search NEUTRAL — New Delhi: The BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi ended on Friday (May 5) without adopting a common declaration, reflecting the deep divisions within the bloc over the US-Israeli military c…
https://thewire.in/diplomacy/iran-uae-deadlock-precludes-joi…
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Claim 13: “He accused the UAE of allowing the US to use Emirati territory to launch attacks on Iran and said Emirati warplanes had directly participated in strikes”
CORROBORATED
Wikipedia and Tehran Times both report that Iran accused the UAE of allowing the US to use its territory to launch attacks on Iran.
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web search NEUTRAL — Iran accused the UAE of launching attacks on a refinery of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company on Lavan Island just after the ceasefire on April 8. Some military analysts and Ir…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_strikes_on_the_Un…
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web search NEUTRAL — Despite Iran’s criticism of the UAE over its involvement in the US–Israeli war—including allowing the United States to use its territory to launch attacks on Iran during the 39-day conflict—Araghchi d…
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/526442/UAE-from-Iran-war-to…
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web search NEUTRAL — Amid the fragile ceasefire, the UAE last week accused Iran of striking its territory, setting an oil facility in Fujairah ablaze and wounding three people. The US has not condemned the attack, likely …
https://dailytelegraph.co.nz/world/netanyahu-reveals-secret-…
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Claim 14: “Emirati deputy foreign minister, Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, who had called for BRICS to condemn Iran for its attacks on the UAE and other Persian Gulf states”
CORROBORATED
Tehran Times and Al Jazeera both report that UAE representative Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar called for the condemnation of Iranian attacks on the UAE and other Gulf states.
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web search NEUTRAL — However, Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, who represented his country at the BRICS meeting instead of the foreign minister, singled out Iran in his statemen…
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/526442/UAE-from-Iran-war-to…
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web search NEUTRAL — Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, said the attacks constituted a “flagrant violation” of the United Nations Charter, international law and the principles of good neighbourliness, stressing …
https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-rejects-iranian-claims-during-b…
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web search NEUTRAL — The UAE representative, Minister of State, Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, rejected Araghchi’s remarks, accusing him of attempting to justify “terrorist attacks” against the UAE and other Gulf states.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/15/brics-talks-end-wit…
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Claim 15: “the blockage by both Iran and the United States of the vital Strait of Hormuz”
CORROBORATED
Cross-references from The Hindu, RT News, and Flipboard confirm that both Iran and the US have been involved in blocking or attempting to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Iran on Monday accused the US of “piracy” following President Trump’s vow to block the Strait of Hormuz
https://nypost.com/2026/04/13/world-news/defiant-iran-accuse…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Iran has effectively blocked transit through the Strait of Hormuz in the face of its war with the United States and Israel, affecting about a fifth of the world’s global energy supply.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/g7-meets-in-fran…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Iran has largely blocked shipping through the vital strait since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/european-countri…
+ 2 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.