Brazil's standing in the international community faces a diplomatic test today as president Lula da Silva hosts a first visit by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Marcel Biato, President Lula da Silva's foreign policy advisor, told Radio Netherlands that his government believes the best way to deal with Iran is through dialogue, despite international concern over the visit.

Listen to Newsline’s interview with Marcel Biato

“Iran is a sovereign nation that has a series of rights according to international law. It should exercise those rights and it is up to us that Iran feels comfortable and engaged. Whenever isolations and confrontation is the option, things tend to go downhill.”

Nuclear ambitions
The visit, part of a short tour of Latin America and Africa, comes as Iran begins five days of large scale war games simulating attacks on its nuclear sites, a move that will increase international pressure over the country's nuclear programme - and fears over its nuclear weapons ambitions.

While US President Barack Obama has also expressed a need for dialogue with Iran, Brazil’s move could risk the country’s newfound global influence according to some analysts. The visit has already prompted two protests on the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in the last week, many of them attended by Jews, gays and other activist groups who are deeply critical of the regime in Iran.

Besides Brazil, Ahmadinejad will also visit Bolivia, Venezuela, Senegal and Gambia. While trade is at the heart of this meeting, with Tehran hoping to boost figures from $2 billion to $15 billion in its dealing with Brazil, it also marks a new phase of Iranian – and Brazilian - diplomacy outside the sphere of US or EU influence.

Increased role in the Middle East
And according to Mr Biato, Brazil is not only keen to develop links with Iran, it also aspires to playing a role in the Middle East peace process. He says that in the last 50 years, flash points have developed and subsequently not been dealt with over the following years.

“Brazil has increasingly felt itself able to be a contributor to dialogue on many of these issues, not only issues of security but of trade and international cooperation, Brazil feels its time to engage new actors and bring some fresh air to the negotiating climate and hopefully Brazil and other countries could be of some help.”

Mr Biato says Brazil would take a broader approach to attempt to find a lasting solution to the Middle East problem, one that aims to understand the wider dynamics of the whole region. 

“When you look at the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, or Israel’s abrasive relationship with most of its neighbours, the Iranian situation, and of course Iraq, it all comes together and we believe it would be necessary to look at the whole issue in context.”

However, by increasing ties with Iran in the interim, Brazil risks falling out of favour with the United States, just at the point where Brazil's influence on the more established global stage is becoming more prominent.