Iranian president warns resilience 'unsustainable' without security

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned at the 18th BRICS Plus Summit on Sunday that US and Israeli military operations have proven economic resilience is "unsustainable" without guaranteed security, stating that attacks on critical infrastructure inevitably carry consequences that extend far beyond national borders.

Civilian toll and regional spillover

Addressing leaders in New Delhi during the bloc's final session, Pezeshkian emphasized that targeting a nation's economic, energy, and development infrastructure produces effects that rapidly spill across borders, creating regional instability with global repercussions. He noted that Iranian civilians, including women and children, have borne a heavy toll from the sustained bombardment, while decades of infrastructure investment built for national development has suffered severe damage.

The Iranian president framed the current conflict within a broader pattern of aggression, pointing to developments in Gaza and Lebanon as parallel violations of sovereignty. He urged BRICS member states to assume a more assertive role in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity, reinforcing international prohibitions against the use of force in settling disputes.

Financial sovereignty

Turning to economic strategy, Pezeshkian called for expanding trade in national currencies among BRICS members and strengthening the New Development Bank to bolster collective resilience against external political and economic pressure. He argued that the expanded 11-member bloc embodies a growing global demand for a more balanced and inclusive order, adding that no single center of power holds the legitimate authority to "determine the fate of others."

Summit backdrop

The remarks concluded the two-day BRICS Leaders' Summit, which brought together heads of state from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. On Saturday, participants adopted the New Delhi Declaration, pledging deeper cooperation with emerging markets and partner nations.

Pezeshkian's intervention comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict that erupted in February, which has featured sustained attacks on Iranian military, energy, and economic infrastructure alongside Tehran's retaliatory strikes across the region. The war has killed thousands and disrupted vital shipping lanes including the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global energy prices.