What happened: Israel strikes Iran, BRICS shows caution

A research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and the subsequent diplomatic response from BRICS members.

• On 13 June 2025, Israel conducted a massive airstrike operation using more than 200 fighter jets against Iranian military and nuclear sites, including the Natanz Nuclear Facility, which resulted in the deaths of nuclear scientists and military commanders.
• The conflict lasted 12 days, involving Iranian ballistic missile and drone retaliations and a US intervention on the ninth day to strike Iranian nuclear sites, ending with a ceasefire on 24 June 2025.
• The strikes were precipitated by the expiration of a 60-day deadline set by US President Donald Trump on 12 June following the collapse of nuclear negotiations, and Iran's advancement of its enrichment programme to 60% purity.
• BRICS exhibited a cautious, consensus-based response to the crisis; six members condemned Israel while four remained neutral or cautious. Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, and Indonesia issued condemnations, while India urged diplomacy and Ethiopia issued no comment.
• The BRICS joint statement issued on 24 June condemned strikes on Iranian territory but did not name Israel, suggesting the bloc remains an economic coordination mechanism rather than a security alternative to Western institutions.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2025). What happened: Israel strikes Iran, BRICS shows caution. https://saiia.org.za/research/what-happened-israel-strikes-iran-brics-shows-caution/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. What happened: Israel strikes Iran, BRICS shows caution. 2025. https://saiia.org.za/research/what-happened-israel-strikes-iran-brics-shows-caution/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=What happened: Israel strikes Iran, BRICS shows caution |date=2 July 2025 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/what-happened-israel-strikes-iran-brics-shows-caution/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2025what, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{What happened: Israel strikes Iran, BRICS shows caution}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/what-happened-israel-strikes-iran-brics-shows-caution/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }