Brazil's FM calls for diplomacy to deal with Iran

Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota Friday called on the international community to focus on dialogue and diplomacy and avoid further sanctions against Iran. "Our goal is to promote confidence and reduce tensions, contribute to the solution of difficult and complex matters," the minister said. According to Patriota, Brazil considers diplomacy the best way to tackle this issue. Tensions with Iran escalated after the country fell once again under the suspicion that its nuclear program does not have peaceful purposes as it declared, but instead is aimed at producing nuclear weapons. According to a leaked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, there is evidence that the Iranian nuclear program may be building atomic weapons. Iran denied this intention, but there have been speculations on the possibility of a new round of sanctions against the country, or even military action. Brazil defended Iran's right to a nuclear program with peaceful purposes. Last year, Brazil and Turkey worked out an agreement with Iran, under which Iran would send its uranium to be enriched in Turkey.