UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Iran President, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince discuss regional hostilities
Q1. In BRICS terminology, the category of 'Partner Country' is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A non-member invited by the year's Chair solely to attend that edition's leaders' summit under the outreach format
- B. A full member that has not yet ratified the founding agreement of the New Development Bank and so lacks voting rights
- C. A status below full membership, taken up by ten countries during 2025, allowing sustained association with BRICS tracks
- D. A state holding observer status at the New Development Bank but with no standing in BRICS ministerial processes
Q2. Consider the following in relation to the West Asia content of the 'New Delhi Declaration' adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit:
1. Expression of 'deep concern' at multiple ongoing conflicts in West Asia
2. A call on Israel to withdraw its troops from Lebanon
3. A call to halt policies of forced displacement of Palestinians
4. Explicit naming of the United States among the parties responsible for the escalation
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Expression of 'deep concern' at multiple ongoing conflicts in West Asia
- A call on Israel to withdraw its troops from Lebanon
- A call to halt policies of forced displacement of Palestinians
- Explicit naming of the United States among the parties responsible for the escalation
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q3. The Declaration's call to halt 'policies of forced displacement' invokes a concept which, in the assessment offered by UN human rights bodies during 2026, is engaged in which one of the following situations?
- A. Armed forces of a state remain in occupied territory beyond an agreed line for longer than one year after a ceasefire
- B. Blanket evacuation orders cover areas so broad that the affected civilian population cannot realistically comply with them
- C. Civilians cross an international frontier and are registered by a United Nations agency as refugees rather than as internally displaced persons
- D. A ceasefire arrangement requires a non-state armed group to disarm before residents who have fled are permitted to return
Q4. Which one of the following correctly describes the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution that condemned Iran's attacks against its neighbours during the 2026 hostilities?
- A. Adopted in March 2026 as Resolution 2817, drafted and led by Bahrain, with China and the Russian Federation abstaining
- B. Adopted in March 2026 as Resolution 2817, drafted and led by Saudi Arabia, with China and the Russian Federation voting against
- C. Adopted in May 2026 as Resolution 2790, drafted and led by Bahrain, with all fifteen Council members voting in favour
- D. Adopted in March 2026 as Resolution 2790, drafted and led by the United States, with Bahrain and Jordan abstaining
Q5. Which one of the seven constituent emirates of the United Arab Emirates accounts for more than three-fourths of the federation's total land area and forms the centre of its oil industry?
- A. Dubai
- B. Sharjah
- C. Abu Dhabi
- D. Ras al-Khaimah
Q6. By what authority does a person hold the office of President of the United Arab Emirates?
- A. By hereditary succession within the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, as fixed by the provisional constitution ratified in 1971
- B. By nomination by the federal Council of Ministers, subject to confirmation by the Federal National Council for a four-year term
- C. By direct election on a federation-wide franchise for a four-year term, renewable once, under the 1996 permanent constitution
- D. By election for a five-year term by the Federal Supreme Council from among its own members, who are the rulers of the emirates
Q7. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the Assembly of Experts in the constitutional order of the Islamic Republic of Iran?
- A. It is appointed entirely by the Supreme Leader and exclusively vets all candidates contesting presidential elections
- B. It is a body of jurists elected every eight years, empowered to select the Supreme Leader and to remove him if found unqualified
- C. It is composed of the commanders of the armed forces and holds sole authority to declare war on behalf of the Republic
- D. It is an elected chamber whose approval is necessarily required for every bill before that bill can become law
Q8. Approximately what share of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports moves through the Strait of Hormuz?
- A. Less than 10 per cent
- B. About 15 per cent
- C. More than 20 per cent
- D. About 50 per cent
Q9. Consider the following statements comparing India's two principal tracks of engagement in West Asia:
1. Chabahar, developed in cooperation with Iran, is projected by India as an assured route of outreach to Afghanistan and Central Asia, linked to the North-South Corridor.
2. The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed in 2022 but entered into force only in May 2025, three years after signature.
3. Both Iran and the United Arab Emirates attended the 18th BRICS Summit as full members, each having been admitted to the grouping in 2024.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Chabahar, developed in cooperation with Iran, is projected by India as an assured route of outreach to Afghanistan and Central Asia, linked to the North-South Corridor.
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed in 2022 but entered into force only in May 2025, three years after signature.
- Both Iran and the United Arab Emirates attended the 18th BRICS Summit as full members, each having been admitted to the grouping in 2024.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding Lebanon in 2026, the situation to which the New Delhi Declaration's call for Israeli troop withdrawal referred:
1. The ceasefire negotiated between Israeli and Lebanese officials in late June 2026 required Hezbollah to disarm fully while Israeli forces were to withdraw fully from the south.
2. A Security Council resolution adopted in 2025 extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon for a final time until the end of 2026, with its drawdown and withdrawal to begin thereafter.
3. UN figures for August 2026 indicated that none of those displaced by the hostilities had yet been able to return, with over one million still housed in collective shelters.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The ceasefire negotiated between Israeli and Lebanese officials in late June 2026 required Hezbollah to disarm fully while Israeli forces were to withdraw fully from the south.
- A Security Council resolution adopted in 2025 extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon for a final time until the end of 2026, with its drawdown and withdrawal to begin thereafter.
- UN figures for August 2026 indicated that none of those displaced by the hostilities had yet been able to return, with over one million still housed in collective shelters.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3