Amid fears of another flare-up in West Asia, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, one of the top leaders of Iran and the country’s parliament speaker who played a leading role in negotiations with the US in recent months, has cancelled his visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Speakers’ Forum gathering next week.

The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will meet on October 26-27. The venue is to be the Central Hall of Parliament, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be the host. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the event on October 26 which will be attended by presiding officers, lawmakers and delegates from BRICS member and partner countries including high-level representatives from Russia and China.

Confirming the cancellation of Qalibaf’s visit, the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, in a statement, said, “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi wishes to inform that, due to certain unforeseen circumstances, Dr Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, will…