Iran joins Russia, China at BRICS conference calling for a halt to ‘escalation’ in Middle East

Iran showing up at a BRICS conference to urge a halt to “escalation” is the sort of thing that would be funny if it weren’t so deadly. Tehran bankrolls proxies, ships missiles, and lights fuses all over the region, then puts on a suit and asks for everyone to calm down. The arsonist is offering fire safety tips. Russia and China nod along because chaos in the Middle East keeps America tied down and the oil market jumpy.

The part that really jumps off the page is who signed on. The United Arab Emirates, home to a US air base, has taken Iranian drone and missile attacks. Saudi Arabia just shut down its East-West pipeline after strikes linked to Iran-backed Iraqi militias set it on fire. So you have countries getting hit, hosting our forces, and still putting their name on a BRICS statement that reads like a group project where nobody wants to anger the kid throwing punches. That’s not diplomacy, it’s fear management.

This is where Washington has to stop acting surprised. BRICS is turning into a convenient stage for America’s rivals and their partners to talk out of both sides of their mouths. If our friends in the Gulf want US protection, they can’t keep signing joint communiqués with the people aiming drones at their infrastructure. And if Iran wants “de-escalation,” it can start by cutting off the militias and the missile pipeline. Words are cheap when pipelines are burning..