Former CIA officer Larry Johnson reports that the 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with the unanimous adoption of a declaration endorsing payment infrastructure intended to facilitate cross-border trade outside the Western financial system. While the text details plans to expand local currency settlements and integrate domestic payment systems like India's UPI, the source characterizes this move as a "lifeline" for Iran, which it alleges is currently under US sanctions, a naval blockade, and at war with the United States and Israel.