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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized US dollar dominance in global trade ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit in India, signaling continued efforts by the bloc to reduce reliance on the US financial system. Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders have echoed similar themes as the summit approaches. On the sidelines of the summit, Iran's president held his first high-level talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince since the outbreak of the Iran war, marking a notable diplomatic engagement between Tehran and a Gulf neighbor amid the ongoing conflict. The meeting underscores how the BRICS gathering is also becoming a venue for regional diplomacy tied to the broader Middle East crisis.