Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will skip the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Delhi after being unable to attend due to “unforeseen circumstances.” NDTV and India Today report that the speaker’s absence is linked to circumstances that prevent participation, rather than any change in Iran’s overall engagement with the event.
Iran, however, signals it will still take part in some form. NDTV says Tehran stresses that the missed appearance does not mean Iran is stepping back from the forum. The Hindu adds that the Iranian Embassy in India links the absence to certain unforeseen circumstances and states that an Iranian parliamentary delegation will participate during the meeting scheduled for Oct. 26–27.
