BRICS condemns Israel-US offensive against Iran
Araghchi: Aggression dealt severe blow to diplomacy, rule of law
The BRICS group of emerging economies on Sunday condemned Israel and the United States for their recent aggression against Iran, saying that the strikes “constitute a violation of international law.”
“We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 13 June 2025,” members of the BRICS said in a statement read during the 17th summit of the group in Brazil’s city of Rio de Janeiro, which was attended by Iran’s foreign minister.
On June 13, the Israeli regime launched a 12-day unprovoked aggression against Iran, which claimed the lives of 935 Iranians, including civilians, nuclear scientists and the country’s top military commanders.
The US also joined the aggression by targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
A cease-fire proposed by the US put an end to the conflict on June 24 after Iran launched barrages of missiles at Israel’s targets in the occupied territories and at the US largest military base in the Middle East in Qatar.
“We further express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities,” the bloc said in its statement.
The 11-nation grouping said the strikes “constitute a violation of international law.”
Addressing the summit, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the aggression against Iran a severe blow to diplomacy, the rule of law, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime.
He said the Israeli regime’s 12-day unprovoked "military, terrorist strikes" have been carried out with the support, collaboration and eventual participation of the US.
He added that the Israeli unlawful attack against Iran violated the UN Charter, which killed and injured more than 6,000 innocent people and damaged infrastructures, residential areas and nuclear facilities in Iran.
Attacks on nuclear facilities
“The US/Israeli attacks on our nuclear facilities were in stark violation of NPT and the UNSR resolution 2231 that has endorsed Iran's peaceful nuclear program in 2015 by consensus,” the top Iranian diplomat emphasized.
“The US's subsequent involvement in this aggression by targeting Iran's peaceful nuclear installations has left no doubt as to the full complicity of the American government in Israel's war of aggression against Iran,” he added.
He said the strikes by the Israeli regime, and subsequently the United States, were no less than an unprecedented breach of international peace.
“No rule of law or logic allows anyone to target the IAEA-monitored peaceful nuclear facilities of another State simply out of speculation that the facilities may sometimes be used for weaponization,” he added.
Israel’s impunity
The foreign minister said, “Israel's act of aggression against Iran came as the result of absolute impunity it is granted by the US and some other European states to commit every atrocity in our region.”
He warned that the common values of peace and justice are at serious stake now, reminding each UN member of its responsibility to “stand up against this grave injustice and condemn Israeli aggression firmly.”
“The truth and facts must not be allowed to be twisted upside-down by Israel and its backers. Israel's aggression on Iran cannot and must not be justified by any legal or moral standards. Any justification for this unjust and criminal war would be tantamount to complicity,” Araghchi pointed out.
He stressed the importance of holding Israel and the United States accountable for their violations of international law, including human rights and humanitarian law.
The 17th two-day BRICS Summit kicked off in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday under the theme of "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance".
The BRICS group of fast-developing economies initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In 2024, it was expanded to include Iran, Egypt, the UAE and Ethiopia as new members.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Iranian foreign minister held talks with his Russian, Turkish, Brazilian counterparts.