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BRICS Urges 'Maximum Restraint' As US-Iran War Tests Unity At New Delhi Summit

Authored by News Desk via The Cradle,

The BRICS group of nations adopted a joint declaration on 12 September, expressing "deep concern" over the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran and urging "maximum restraint" as part of a "multilateral approach" that respects national viewpoints.

(Photo credit: BRICS)

The declaration was adopted on the first day of the BRICS leaders' annual summit in New Delhi.

"We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in Middle East/West Asia and, recalling our respective national positions, call for exercising maximum restraint, as well as avoiding actions that could further aggravate the situation," the declaration said.

BRICS leaders gathered at the summit to develop the bloc's common positions on international conflicts, sanctions and trade, reform of global institutions, finance, energy, technology, health and development.

BRICS leaders failed to reach a consensus condemning the US aggression against Iran, as the bloc includes both Iran and the UAE, which are on opposing sides of the conflict.

The BRICS group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration expressing 'deep concern' over the war in the Middle East and urged maximum restraint. READ: https://t.co/nXJgNWjwVH pic.twitter.com/o40AozQil9

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 12, 2026

The UAE joined the war against the Islamic Republic on the side of its allies, the US and Israel.

Summit host India is also a close ally of Israel and one of its main weapons suppliers.

Other BRICS members include Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.

In response to the unprovoked US-Israeli attack in February, Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which Gulf energy exports to Asia flow.

The closure caused a surge in energy prices that has harmed the economies of BRICS nations, in particular in Asia.

The declaration affirmed the commitment of BRICS member states to a peaceful resolution of international disputes "through dialogue, consultation, and diplomacy."

It also expressed concern over "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" that distort trade, disrupt supply chains, and harm global economic development.

Since returning to office, US President Trump has used the threat of tariffs against China and India and imposed additional economic sanctions on Iran and Russia.

Trump has also issued secondary sanctions against nations and entities trading with Iran.

The joint statement expressed "serious concern" about deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, saying such attacks violate international law and relevant IAEA resolutions.

Though the US and Israel have carried out attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and civilian infrastructure, the statement did not name either country specifically regarding such attacks.

Regarding Israeli actions in Gaza, the statement calls for maintaining the ceasefire and facilitating unhindered humanitarian assistance; opposes the forced displacement of Palestinians and territorial/demographic changes to Gaza; and supports Palestinian self-determination and the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Regarding Lebanon, the statement calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory and adhere to the Lebanon ceasefire and UNSC Resolution 1701.

On Syria, it calls for respect for Syria's sovereignty and an inclusive Syrian-led political process, warns of the risk posed by "foreign terrorist fighters" to Syria's and regional stability and security,and calls for the withdrawal of foreign occupying forces, an apparent reference to Israel.

It also encourages continued work on interoperable cross-border payment systems and greater use of BRICS members' local currencies rather than US dollars for trade and investment settlements.

The BRICS statement also stresses the importance of reliable energy supplies and stable markets and explicitly says fossil fuels will continue to play an important role, especially for emerging and developing economies.

It simultaneously backs a "just, orderly, equitable and inclusive" transition to renewable energy and emissions reductions according to countries' different circumstances, as outlined in the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) framework.

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Texas Still Dominates America's Natural Gas Production

U.S. gross natural gas withdrawals reached 47.7 trillion cubic feet in 2025, with a small group of states accounting for most of the total. Much of this output comes from prolific shale formations such as the Permian, Marcellus, Haynesville, and Eagle Ford.

This map, via Visual Capitalist's Niccolo Conte, shows 2025 gross natural gas withdrawals by state and producing area using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, with the latest available 2024 figures used for five states.

Gross withdrawals measure total well-stream production before processing, making them different from marketed or dry natural gas output.

Texas Produced Over a Quarter of U.S. Natural Gas

Texas led the country with 13,603 Bcf of gross withdrawals in 2025, equal to 28.5% of the national total. Pennsylvania followed at 7,676 Bcf, or 16.1%, meaning the two states together accounted for nearly 45% of U.S. withdrawals.

Their output is driven by some of North America’s most productive shale formations, including the Permian Basin in Texas and the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.

The table below ranks every state and producing area with at least 10 Bcf of gross withdrawals. States below that threshold, which together account for roughly 0.1% of the national total, are not shown:

Rank State or Producing Area Gross Natural Gas Withdrawals
(Billion Cubic Feet) Share U.S. Total
(%) 1 Texas 13603.5 28.5 2 Pennsylvania 7675.8 16.1 3 New Mexico 4150.5 8.7 4 Louisiana 3817.3 8.0 5 West Virginia 3600.0 7.5 6 Alaska 3546.1 7.4 7 Oklahoma 2877.7 6.0 8 Ohio 2100.7 4.4 9 Colorado 1869.8 3.9 10 North Dakota 1266.3 2.7 11 Wyoming 1197.5 2.5 12 Offshore Gulf of Mexico 721.5 1.5 13 Utah 338.7 0.7 14 Arkansas 323.3 0.7 15 Kansas 122.3 0.3 16 California 113.2 0.2 17 Virginia 80.9 0.2 18 Alabama 75.8 0.2 19 Michigan 64.1 0.1 20 Kentucky 58.8 0.1 21 Montana 50.5 0.1 22 Mississippi 25.8 0.1

New Mexico and Louisiana ranked third and fourth, producing 4,151 Bcf and 3,817 Bcf, respectively. Combined with Texas and Pennsylvania, the four states generated 61.3% of U.S. gross natural gas withdrawals in 2025.

Appalachia Forms America’s Second Major Gas Hub

Beyond Texas, the Appalachian Basin has become the country’s other major gas-producing hub.

Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio together produced 13,377 Bcf in 2025, equal to 28% of the U.S. total, largely from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations.

Alaska ranked just behind West Virginia despite having no pipeline connection to the Lower 48, underscoring the scale of its resource base.

This production base helps explain the country’s leading position in global gas markets. See how U.S. dry natural gas production ranks against other major producing countries.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Natural Gas Withdrawals Across U.S. States (2023) on Voronoi.

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