Iran's Parliament Speaker Qalibaf to skip BRICS forum in New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 24 (UNI) Iran's parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf will not attend the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum scheduled to be held in New Delhi on October 26 and 27 due to "unforeseen circumstances", the Iranian Embassy said on Saturday.

However, the Iranian parliamentary delegation will participate in the meeting, the embassy said in a statement posted on X. Iran reaffirmed its commitment to active participation in BRICS summits and meetings, adding that its delegation would continue dialogue and consultations with representatives of member countries to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly in parliamentary relations.

The embassy also thanked the Indian government for its hospitality and arrangements for hosting the forum and wished the meeting success in strengthening cooperation among member countries. The Parliament of India will host the two-day forum at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the conference would mark a new chapter in India's parliamentary diplomacy, bringing together presiding officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, union Ministers, members of Parliament and other dignitaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the event and meet the leaders of visiting delegations. The overarching theme of the forum is "Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development". The deliberations will focus on four key areas: strengthening institutions, promoting human-centred innovation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, making global governance more representative through parliamentary cooperation, and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive future.

The programme will also include bilateral and multilateral meetings, a special meeting of chairpersons of international affairs committees from BRICS member and partner countries, and discussions on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and the exchange of best practices. A meeting of delegation secretaries is scheduled for October 25 to finalise the joint statement of the forum. The programme will also feature cultural activities and visits to Parliament and other places in Delhi. The Vice-President of India will host a banquet for the visiting dignitaries. The conference will conclude on October 27.

UNI AAB