Brazil says will work against new Iran sanctions

U.N. Security Council member Brazil demanded on Tuesday that Iran guarantee its nuclear program has no military aims, but added that it will work to avoid new sanctions against the Islamic republic.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim also urged Iran and world powers to show "flexibility" over an atomic fuel deal stalled for several months, saying it was an agreement that could build confidence among all sides.

"Iran should have nuclear activities for peaceful purposes and the international community should also be given the guarantee that will be no violation and no diversion to military purposes," Amorim, who is on a two-day visit, said at a press conference in Tehran.

Brazil, a temporary member of the 15-strong Security Council, has consistently defended Iran's nuclear program.

Amorim said Iran's nuclear "impasse" must see a solution.

"It has dragged on for seven years and in these years Brazil has come closer to Iran," he said.

"We want a solution to this impasse. Brazil is interested in having a role in settling Iran's nuclear issue. I heard the explanation from Iranian sides in my long meeting (with Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki). It was constructive."

Amorim's visit paves the ground for next month's visit by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Iran should have nuclear activities for peaceful purposes and the international community should also be given the guarantee that will be no violation and no diversion to military purposes

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim

Sanctions

Earlier on Tuesday Amorim told Iran's official IRNA news agency that Brazil would work to prevent new sanctions against Tehran.

"We are looking for a way to prevent sanctions against Iran because we think that sanctions are ineffective," Amorim told IRNA.

"The only thing the sanctions achieve is that they hurt people, especially the lower class of people."

World powers accuse Iran of masking a weapons drive under the guise of what Tehran says is a purely civilian atomic program.

Western countries led by the United States have stepped up efforts to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, especially after a nuclear fuel deal for a Tehran research reactor drafted by the U.N. in October hit a deadlock.

For a sanctions measure to pass, nine of the 15 council members would have to vote in favor and none of the five permanent members veto it.

Amorim had said on Monday that a U.N. sanctions resolution targeting Iran would be a "negative and unfair move."

"What we want for the Brazilian people is what we want for the Iranian people, which is expansion of peaceful nuclear activities," he told Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili during a meeting.

The only thing the sanctions achieve is that they hurt people, especially the lower class of people

Amorim

Nuclear fuel deal

On Tuesday, he urged Iran and world powers to finalize the nuclear fuel deal for the Tehran reactor.

"We hope this agreement will take place. This agreement is a major one and creates confidence between Iran and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), but like any other negotiation there should be flexibility on all sides," Amorim said.

The initial agreement was for Iran to ship 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) of low-enriched uranium -- enough for a single bomb if purified to a high enough level -- to Russia and France to make into fuel for a medical research reactor.

Iran later said it would only accept a simultaneous swap on Iranian soil, a change which other parties to the deal said they could not accept because it would fail to build trust.

In his interview with IRNA, Amorim even said Brazil could consider hosting the fuel exchange on its territory.

"As of now there is no proposal, but if we receive such a proposal, it could be examined," Amorim said when asked whether Brazil might make such an offer.

On top of a new round of U.N. sanctions, top Western officials are also looking at restricting fuel supplies to the Islamic republic as a way of stepping up pressure on Tehran over its controversial nuclear program.

We hope this agreement will take place. This agreement is a major one and creates confidence between Iran and the IAEA, but like any other negotiation there should be flexibility on all sides

Amorim