Iran and Brazil call for UN reform

The presidents of Iran and Brazil on Monday issued a joint call for reform of the United Nations at the start of a controversial visit to three Latin American countries by Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, the Iranian leader.

Widely viewed as a provocation to the US, the trip follows recent strains between Brasília and Washington over trade issues.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president, said after Mr Ahmadi-Nejad’s arrival in Brasília: “We have argued for 15 years for changes at the United Nations and a reform of its Security Council . . . so that decisions may be taken on the basis of current reality and not a political grouping formed in 1948.”

Mr Ahmadi-Nejad said: “The governments of Iran and Brazil, including my friend Lula and I, are seeking to construct a world without hostility where there is no fear of war.”

Critics said Mr Ahmadi-Nejad’s visit to Brazil, whose global status has increased in the past year, would help legitimise the Iranian government following its disputed re-election.

Mr Lula da Silva also supported Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear energy programme.

That statement appeared certain to be unwelcome in the US, which has led international pressure on Iran over its nuclear ambitions. US officials avoided criticising Mr Ahmadi-Nejad’s visit last week, but privately said they were concerned by top-level contact between Iran and other governments.

Roberto Jaguaribe of Brazil’s foreign ministry maintained relations with the US were “first class”.

“Lots of countries see it as beneficial that Iran should have frank relations with other nations and I think the US believes the same thing,” he added.

But Mr Jaguaribe’s tone is at odds with that of several recent statements by senior Brazilian officials.

Dilma Rousseff, Mr Lula da Silva’s chief minister and the likely candidate to succeed him in elections next year, said this month that while Brazil had “excellent” relations with the European Union it had only “qualified” relations with the US.

Celso Amorim, Brazil’s foreign minister, recently told a Brazilian newspaper the US should have been “more frank and open” with governments in South America over its intended use of military bases in Colombia.

Brazil and the US have been at odds over the crisis in Honduras following its military coup in June. Brazil and several leftwing governments in Latin America, including Bolivia and Venezuela – which Mr Ahmadi-Nejad will also visit this week – are against elections being held while the military government remains in power. The US and Colombia have supported the elections.

Brazil is also preparing to retaliate against US subsidies to its cotton farmers after the World Trade Organisation this month authorised it to impose sanctions against imports from the US.

“The basis of Brazil’s position is that it sees the US as a competitor,” said Richard Feinberg, a professor of international politics at the University of California at San Diego. “The government, that is to say [Mr Lula da Silva’s leftwing party] the PT, is vying with Hugo Chávez [Venezuela’s president] for regional leadership on the left.”