Iran Parliament Speaker Skips New Delhi BRICS Meeting Over Medical Cargo Dispute

UPDATE - follow-up to Iran's Ghalibaf will not attend BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Delhi: Embassy: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf will not attend the BRICS Parliamentary Forum meeting in New Delhi due to a disagreement over direct medical cargo shipments, though a parliamentary delegation will still participate.

What Happened

The dispute began after India refused to let an Iran Air flight transport medicines directly from India to Tehran, citing fears of U.S. sanctions on Indian airports and air operators hosting sanctioned Iranian airlines. While Indian officials maintain that medical supplies continue to reach Iran through third countries like Armenia and Oman, Iranian officials argue that humanitarian aid is exempt from international sanctions and that direct flights are necessary to prevent temperature-sensitive medicines from perishing during long transit times.

Context

India and Iran share long-standing trade and civilisational ties, but trade links are often complicated by the strict web of international financial restrictions imposed by the United States. While humanitarian goods like food and medicine are technically protected under standard international rules, the practical enforcement of secondary financial sanctions often makes commercial transport companies and airport operators extremely cautious about direct dealings.