Why Isn’t BRICS Stepping In to Help Iran? A Simple Breakdown for Curious South Africans

• BRICS is an economic alliance, not a military block, leaving Iran without help against US strikes
• Russia and China prioritise self-interest, avoiding military intervention in Iran to prevent escalating global tensions
• Briefly News spoke to analysts who weighed in on the economic fallout from the Israel-Iran conflict, impacting fuel prices and inflation
• Political analyst Luchulumanco Mawisa spoke to Briefly News about BRICS and the ongoing war in Iran

With the recent US-led strikes on Iran, dubbed Operation Midnight Fury, a lot of folks here in South Africa are scratching their heads. Iran is part of BRICS, right? That’s the group with Brazil, Russia, India, China, and us South Africans, plus newcomers like Iran, formed in 2024. So why aren’t heavy hitters like Russia and China jumping in to defend their ally against these attacks? It’s a fair question, especially since our own government has ties through BRICS, like those naval exercises in Simon’s Town back in January 2026.

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But don’t expect tanks or jets being dispatched from Moscow or Beijing anytime soon.

BRICS is not a military club

BRICS is more like a business networking group, not a gang that fights together. It started in 2009 as an economic alliance to boost trade, investment, and challenge Western dominance in global finance, like pushing for alternatives to the US dollar. It’s not like NATO, where an attack on one means everyone piles in with troops.

There’s no rule saying BRICS members must militarily help each other. It’s all about economics, tech sharing and diplomacy. Iran joined to get economic perks, like better trade with China and Russia, not a promise of backup in a war. In this Iran conflict, BRICS as a group hasn’t issued any joint military response. It’s every country for itself when bullets fly.

Why Russia isn’t sending the cavalry

Russia and Iran are buddies, they even signed a 20-year strategic pact in January 2026, covering energy, tech and defence cooperation. But that doesn’t mean Russian troops are boarding planes to Tehran. Here’s why:

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• Stretched thin at home: Russia’s been bogged down in Ukraine for years now. Sending forces to Iran would mean splitting resources, risking losses on two fronts. Putin’s got his hands full keeping his own economy afloat under sanctions.
• Avoiding a bigger fight: Jumping in could drag Russia into a direct clash with the US and Israel. That’s World War III territory, and nobody wants that. Instead, Russia might help quietly, like sharing intel or selling weapons, but not openly.
• Self-interest rules: Russia benefits from higher oil prices due to the chaos, but escalating could hurt their global standing. Plus, with BRICS, Russia’s pushing for a “multipolar world” without picking fights that could isolate them further.

China’s even more cautious approach

China’s the big dog in BRICS, and Iran supplies a chunk of their oil, up to 15% by some estimates, even if it’s under the radar to dodge sanctions. They’ve condemned the strikes harshly, calling them a “serious violation” of sovereignty and urging talks. But no military moves. Why?

• Economic tightrope: China’s economy is huge but fragile. They trade massively with the US and Europe. A war with the West over Iran could tank that.
• No appetite for escalation: China’s foreign ministry has framed the US as a bully clinging to “hegemony,” but they’re not sending ships or missiles. Reports suggest they might be supplying hypersonic weapons quietly, but publicly, it’s all diplomacy. They invested in Iran’s BRICS membership for business, not battles.
• Global image: China wants to look like the peacemaker. They’ve brokered deals in the Middle East before, like between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Stepping in militarily would shatter that and invite sanctions that could hurt their Belt and Road projects.

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What about the rest of BRICS, including South Africa?

India’s staying neutral, focusing on its own growth. Brazil’s calling for peace but not much else. And us in South Africa? Our government’s criticised the strikes, tying into our ICJ case against Israel, but we’re not in a position to offer military aid. Remember, our BRICS involvement is about economic resilience, not wars. As Frederick Mitchell from Aluma Capital noted, these tensions are already hurting our Rand and exports, getting deeper involved would make it worse.

So what is the bigger picture?

At the end of the day, BRICS countries are allies on paper for money matters, but when it comes to war, self-preservation wins. Helping Iran militarily could mean economic ruin, broader conflict, or even nuclear risks. Instead, expect behind-the-scenes support like arms sales or diplomatic pressure at the UN.

If you’re wondering as a South African, this keeps us out of the fire too, good for stability, even if it means higher petrol prices at home.

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Political analyst Luchulumanco Mawisa also commented on the situation to Briefly News' Byron Pillay.

"The role that emerging economies like South Africa and Brazil play in shaping global power dynamics is not anti-Western sentiment. It is the arithmetic of a multipolar world finally catching up with the voices of the global majority. And when the dust settles on the proxy war in Iran, the world will find that the Global South has found its voice," he said.

Oil prices fall on hopes of a swift end to the war

Meanwhile, Wichard Cilliers, Head of Market Risk at TreasuryONE has weighed in on the fluctuating oil prices. Speaking to Briefly News, he said:

“The US Dollar has given back some of its most recent gains, as well as losing some safe-haven appeal, due to Trump's commentary that the war in Iran might end swiftly. Supply concerns have eased as well, with Trump threatening Iran with severe repercussions if any tankers are attacked in the Straits of Hormuz.”

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The price of oil hit a three-year high of $119.50, and now sits just above $90 per barrel.

How the Israel-Iran war is hitting South Africans in the pocket

In similar news, Briefly News reported that escalating conflict in the Middle East is significantly impacting South African fuel and grocery prices. The weak Rand exacerbates inflation, increasing costs for imports and loans for the average South African.

If US-South Africa relations sour further, companies might cut jobs or investments. Briefly News spoke to analysts who warn of an economic slowdown due to rising tensions.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News