Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday said that Tehran will welcome any initiative by major powers like India to bring peace to West Asia, and added that the country is developing a new service-and-payment-based framework for the passage of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international norms.
Gharibabadi, currently in New Delhi, told a select group of journalists that a demand by "one member country" in BRICS to condemn Iran had prevented the grouping from reaching a unified position on the regional conflict, in an apparent reference to the UAE.
"We want India's BRICS chairship to be successful. It is not a good approach to send a signal to the world that the BRICS is divided. One country is insisting to condemn Iran," he said.
"We have not attacked neighbouring countries. They handed their territories to the US to launch an attack on us. We never insisted that Arab countries should be condemned as they allowed their military bases to the US," he added.
Gharibabadi said India has displayed "impartiality" as BRICS chair.
The senior Iranian leader's comments came a day before India hosts a conclave of BRICS foreign ministers ahead of the grouping's annual summit in September.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov are among those attending the two-day conclave, which is expected to extensively deliberate on the West Asia crisis, including its impact on energy supplies. It remains to be seen whether the foreign ministers' conclave will produce a consensus statement on the conflict in West Asia.
Sharp differences between Iran and the UAE, both BRICS members, over the US-Israel war on Iran stalled India's efforts to build a consensus position during a meeting of the grouping's deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on the Middle East and North America last month.
Gharibabadi, referring to the historic, cultural and civilisational ties between India and Iran, said Tehran would welcome any initiative by New Delhi to bring peace and stability to West Asia, which would benefit countries in the region and beyond.
"India has always supported peace. It is in favour of peace and stability in the region. We will welcome whatever initiative India takes for peace," he said.
Responding to a question on Pakistan's role as a mediator between Iran and the US, the deputy foreign minister said Tehran would welcome all such diplomatic efforts.
"Pakistan is only a facilitator. We will welcome all such initiatives," he said.
The deputy foreign minister said Iran remains committed to the Chabahar port project and that it is for India to decide how to move forward in view of US sanctions on the project.
Gharibabadi, who was part of the Iranian negotiating team for talks with the US, said Washington had suffered a strategic loss in the war and claimed it was not serious about ending hostilities through diplomacy.
The Iranian deputy foreign minister said his government would open the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifts its blockade of Iranian ports, ends the war and releases Tehran's frozen assets.
Gharibabadi said Iran is working with Oman on a framework for the passage of merchant ships through the key waterway in line with international norms and standards.
Under the new initiative, Oman and Iran would provide navigational and other services to merchant vessels and charge fees depending on the size of the ships and the volume of cargo, he said, elaborating on the provisional proposal.
"The Strait of Hormuz will be better than before once peace returns. There will be transparency, and we will not allow any discrepancy," he said.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas).
Gharibabadi said Iran had allowed several Indian vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz and that more ships could be granted permission to return home. The deputy foreign minister claimed that reopening the Strait now could allow it to be used for military purposes against Iran.
Gharibabadi is in New Delhi as part of the Iranian delegation attending the BRICS conclave.
After the West Asia conflict escalated, Iran urged India, as the current BRICS chair, to leverage its "independent role" to halt the US-Israel hostilities against Iran.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
It has emerged as an influential grouping, bringing together 11 major emerging economies representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of global GDP and around 26 per cent of global trade.
The BRICS meeting will be chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.