PM Modi Reiterates Diplomacy for West Asia Peace in Meeting With Iran President.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (New Delhi, September 11, 2026).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi on Friday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, with the two leaders discussing bilateral relations, cooperation in multilateral forums and the rapidly changing situation in West Asia.
The meeting was the second between Modi and Pezeshkian in less than two weeks. The two leaders had previously met on 31 August on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek.
Their latest conversation comes as India hosts the BRICS Summit and as the West Asia region continues to face serious security and political challenges. Against this backdrop, Modi reiterated India’s longstanding position that disputes and conflicts should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.
The discussions also focused on the importance of maintaining regional stability, protecting maritime routes and ensuring the safety of seafarers.
A second meeting in less than two weeks
The frequency of the meetings between Modi and Pezeshkian highlights the importance India attaches to maintaining direct engagement with Iran.
The two leaders had met in Bishkek on 31 August, making Friday’s meeting their second interaction in under two weeks.
High-level contacts between India and Iran have particular significance because of the two countries’ longstanding economic, strategic and regional interests.
Iran occupies an important geographical position between South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia. For India, engagement with Tehran has also been linked to connectivity, trade and access to the wider region.
The latest meeting provided an opportunity for the leaders to continue those discussions while addressing the wider security environment.
Iran’s participation in BRICS welcomed
Modi thanked Iran for maintaining regular, high-level participation in BRICS-related meetings despite what he described as challenging circumstances.
Iran’s participation has added another important dimension to the grouping, which India is chairing in 2026.
The Prime Minister highlighted the potential of BRICS to promote resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability among countries of the Global South.
That emphasis reflects India’s broader effort to use its BRICS chairship to strengthen cooperation among developing and emerging economies.
Modi also thanked Pezeshkian for taking part in the Leaders’ Session of the BRICS Business Forum.
Business and economic engagement are an important component of BRICS cooperation, and the Iranian President’s participation provided an opportunity for Iran to engage with representatives and leaders from other participating countries.
West Asia crisis takes centre stage
A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to recent developments in West Asia.
The region remains a major concern for the international community because instability can have consequences far beyond the countries directly involved.
India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve disputes. Modi reiterated that position during his meeting with Pezeshkian, stressing that outstanding issues should be addressed through peaceful political engagement.
For New Delhi, regional stability is also closely connected to economic and maritime security.
West Asia sits along some of the world’s most important sea routes. Any prolonged disruption can affect international trade, energy supplies and commercial shipping.
Focus on freedom of navigation
Modi underlined the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in West Asia while safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce.
The issue is particularly relevant to India because a significant volume of its international trade moves by sea.
Disruptions to shipping routes can increase transport costs, delay deliveries and create wider uncertainty for businesses and consumers. They can also expose commercial crews and seafarers to greater risks.
The Prime Minister therefore stressed the safety and well-being of seafarers alongside the broader need to protect maritime commerce.
The message reflects India’s interest in keeping international sea lanes open and secure, particularly at a time of heightened tensions across parts of West Asia.
India and Iran in multilateral forums
The meeting also covered cooperation between India and Iran in multilateral organisations.
Modi appreciated Tehran’s continued cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including within BRICS.
Such engagement allows India and Iran to coordinate positions on matters that extend beyond their bilateral relationship.
For India, multilateral platforms such as BRICS provide an opportunity to work with a diverse group of countries on issues including economic development, global governance and the interests of the Global South.
Iran’s active participation also gives the grouping a broader West Asian dimension.
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What the meeting means for India-Iran ties
The latest Modi-Pezeshkian meeting indicates that India is maintaining close diplomatic engagement with Tehran at a particularly sensitive time.
The discussions combined bilateral matters with wider regional and global concerns. This approach reflects the reality that India-Iran relations are influenced not only by economic and strategic interests but also by developments across West Asia.
New Delhi has sought to maintain constructive relations with countries across the region while emphasising dialogue, stability and the protection of commercial interests.
The two meetings between Modi and Pezeshkian in such a short period underline the importance of continued communication.
At the BRICS Summit, that engagement took on an additional multilateral dimension, with both leaders discussing Iran’s role in the grouping and the potential for greater cooperation among countries of the Global South.
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Diplomacy remains India’s message
The central theme of Modi’s message to Pezeshkian was the need for diplomacy.
India’s position is that lasting peace in West Asia requires dialogue and sustained efforts to resolve disputes rather than allowing conflicts to escalate.
At the same time, New Delhi has highlighted practical concerns such as freedom of navigation, uninterrupted commerce and the safety of seafarers.
The meeting therefore brought together two closely linked priorities: pursuing political solutions to regional conflicts and protecting the economic and human interests affected by instability.
As India continues its BRICS chairship, its engagement with Iran is likely to remain an important part of its wider diplomatic effort to strengthen cooperation across the Global South while promoting stability in a region critical to international trade.
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