Sunday, May 16, 2010

Brazil's President Lula in Iran for key nuclear talks

By Jon Leyne
BBC Tehran correspondent

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Tehran, 16 May

President Lula is hoping to find a compromise with his Iran counterpart

Brazil's president is in Iran to hold talks with its leaders in what is seen as a last ditch attempt to find a compromise over the nuclear issue.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived from Moscow, where he met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

US officials have warned they are close to securing agreement on a new package of sanctions against Iran in the UN security council.

Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

President Lula's visit to Tehran has been described by both senior American and Russian officials as the last chance for a compromise before new sanctions are imposed on Iran.

I must now use everything I have learned over my long political career to convince my friend Ahmadinejad to come to an agreement with the international community.”

The Brazilian president will be trying to encourage Iran to agree to a deal under which its existing stocks of enriched uranium are shipped out of the country and converted to fuel for a research reactor.

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