In his first visit to India in the wake of the conflict with the US since February, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to New Delhi next month to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, Iranian sources have confirmed to The Indian Express.

During his visit, the finer details of which are still being worked out, besides attending the summit, Pezeshkian will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a focus on strengthening India-Iran ties, status of the Chabahar port, and the latest developments in West Asia.

The Indian side is also expected to broach the issue of safety of Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, with several having lost their lives due to strikes by either side. More than 165 Indian seafarers are currently operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, according to latest figures given by New Delhi.

During their phone conversation in June, Prime Minister Modi had formally invited the Iranian President to attend the BRICS Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India on 12-13 September. Pezeshkian and Modi had previously met on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.

There is no official announcement on the visit by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yet. Besides the Iranian President, India has invited heads of state of all BRICS members, including Russia and China. Iran officially became a full member of BRICS in January 2024, alongside Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE.

During their call in June, the first conversation between the two leaders after the 60-day Iran-US ceasefire agreement was signed, the two leaders had discussed the West Asia situation, while PM Modi had “reiterated the importance of freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait for India and the world”, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Spoke with the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, on the recent developments in West Asia. Welcomed the progress made in the negotiations and expressed hope that continued efforts will lead to lasting peace in the region,” Modi had said in a post on X.

Pezeshkian’s expected visit comes months after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to India in June for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. During the visit, Araghchi highlighted India’s growing role as a global peacemaker and said New Delhi could play a “greater role” in helping de-escalate tensions in West Asia.

Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a conversation with Araghchi to convey New Delhi’s condemnation of attacks on merchant vessels. India had strongly urged Iran to avoid attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers under any circumstances.

As many as 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have been killed and another 75 injured in the West Asia conflict since February, the MEA has told Parliament.

On 14 July, the MEA had also summoned Iranian Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Javed Hosseini, to register a “strong protest” after one Indian sailor died and several were seriously injured as two UAE-flagged energy tankers carrying Indian seafarers were hit by Iranian cruise missiles.