The Russian foreign minister suggested New Delhi could play a bigger role in resolving the Middle East crisis

India can mediate in the Middle East conflict given its vast diplomatic expertise, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

New Delhi can mediate between Iran and Arab countries as a first step, Lavrov said in a media briefing after the conclusion of the BRICS foreign ministers' summit hosted by India.

While BRICS as a group would not be the right mediator, Lavrov noted, individual members could help resolve the deadlock.

"For example, India, the BRICS president, they are directly interested and receiving oil from this region. Why won't they offer their services, including as a country that is currently presiding over BRICS, so they could invite Iran, UAE to start with," he said.

Lavrov said every flashpoint in the globe has originated from the "flagrant interference of Western countries in the domestic affairs of a country." The real reason for the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, he asserted, is because powers are trying to drive a wedge between Iran and the Arab nations. "I believe that this hostility, this aggression against Iran was motivated, among other things, to antagonize Iran and its Arab neighbors to instill more hostility in their relations," he said.

Lavrov said a mediator role would be in sync with New Delhi's profile. "Well, this role could be played by India, considering its vast diplomatic experience and authority and clout."

In the chair's statement following the meeting, New Delhi noted that BRICS nations had underscored the grave impact of the conflict on the global economy and called for "an early resolution of the current crisis" and affirmed "the value of dialogue and diplomacy."

At the same time, the statement noted "differing views among some members." Indian media reports suggest that, just as the April meeting of BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys ended without a joint statement after Iran and the UAE clashed over how to address the US-Israel war on Iran, those divisions had only deepened by the time ministers met.

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(RT.com)