Iranian president, UAE crown prince meet on sidelines of BRICS summit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held talks with UAE Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.

The meeting took place as leaders from member states, partner countries and invited organizations gathered for the two-day summit.

Why did Iran's president meet the UAE crown prince?

The meeting came as the UAE takes part in the summit as a full BRICS member and seeks to expand economic and trade ties with emerging markets.

Mehr did not provide details of the issues discussed, saying further information would be released later. The 18th BRICS summit is being held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under India's chairmanship.

When did the UAE join BRICS?

The UAE joined BRICS as a full member in January 2024, adding the Gulf state to a group that has expanded its representation across major emerging economies and developing markets. For Abu Dhabi, membership offers an additional platform to deepen trade and investment links while strengthening its position as a global hub for commerce, logistics and finance.

BRICS members collectively account for about 49.5% of the world's population, nearly 40% of global economic output and about 26% of world trade, according to UAE government figures.

How much does the UAE trade with BRICS countries?

Non-oil trade between the UAE and BRICS countries reached more than $312 billion in 2025, up 28.5% from $243 billion a year earlier.

BRICS countries accounted for about 31% of the UAE's total non-oil foreign trade last year, including roughly 34% of its imports, 23% of its non-oil exports and 28% of its re-exports, according to the UAE's state news agency WAM.

What is the UAE's broader trade strategy?

The expansion of these ties comes as the UAE pursues a broader strategy of diversifying its economy and trading relationships. Abu Dhabi has sought to develop new trade corridors and investment channels with emerging and developing economies while reducing reliance on traditional markets.

That strategy has also included the UAE's Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement program, launched in 2021, under which the country has signed 38 agreements, including deals with BRICS members India and Indonesia.