Iran's Qalibaf to miss BRICS parliamentary meeting in India, embassy says

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi announced that Dr. Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, will be unable to attend the Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of BRICS Member Countries in New Delhi. In a post on X, the embassy said the decision was due to "certain unforeseen circumstances."

The embassy emphasized that the Iranian parliamentary delegation will still participate in the meeting. It also stated that Iran, as a member of BRICS, reaffirms its commitment to active and effective participation at the highest levels in the summits and meetings of the grouping.

According to the embassy, the Iranian delegation will continue dialogue and consultations with delegations from BRICS member countries with a view to expanding and deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of parliamentary relations and cooperation.

The embassy expressed its sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of India for its gracious hospitality and the arrangements made to host the meeting. It wished the Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of BRICS Member Countries every success and expressed hope that it would yield constructive outcomes towards strengthening cooperation and engagement among member countries.

The announcement did not specify the nature of the unforeseen circumstances that prevented Qalibaf from traveling. No further details on the composition of the Iranian parliamentary delegation were provided in the statement.

Iran is a member of BRICS, the grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, among other members. Parliamentary exchanges have formed part of the bloc's broader engagement among member states.

According to Mehr News, the statement was issued by the Iranian Embassy in India through its account on X.