Lula backs Iran's nuclear program

Brazil's president has offered his backing for Tehran's controversial nuclear program. Speaking at a joint news conference in the capital Brasilia on Monday after holding talks with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his visiting Iranian counterpart, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said Brazil backed Iran's quest for "peaceful nuclear energy in full respect of international accords". He urged Ahmadinejad to "continue contacts with interested countries for a just and balanced solution on the nuclear issue in Iran". In his weekly radio address earlier, Lula said engaging Iran instead of isolating it was the way to push for peace and stability in the Middle East. "It doesn't help isolating Iran," he said. "It's important that someone sits down with Iran, talks with Iran and tries to establish some balance so that the Middle East can return to a certain sense of normalcy."