Brazilian government will not suggest Iran’s political isolation, due to Iranian government’s reaction to protests against the result of the elections held in that country, said on Thursday (2) political undersecretary of the Ministry on External Relations, Roberto Jaguaribe. On the contrary, he said, Brazil will choose to enhance the search for understanding and reconciliation.

- Dialogue and commitment are better than confrontation and isolation, which leads to radical positions – said Jaguaribe during a public hearing on the issue, held by the Commitee on Foreign Relations and National Defense.

During his speech, Jaguaribe reported that the commerce between the two countries – of almost US$ 2 billion a year – is almost  like a “one-sided street”, because Brazil exports a lot of products such as meat, corn and soya, and imports almost nothing. He said that Brazilian government sees Iran as a necessary and important partner in the Middle East, with whom it keeps diplomatic relations since 1903.

Another guest at the meeting, general secretary of the Brazilian Baha’i Community, Iradj Roberto Eghrari, considered “disproportional” the Iranian reaction to street manifestations in protest against the elections’ results.

According to the secretary, acts like stone-throwing and torture are still common in Iran. Besides, he said, the country is the second in the world in death penalties’ cases, including for youngsters.

Eghrari asked for Brazilian support to avoid that seven Baha’i leaders, whose trial is to happen on July 11th, be sentenced to death in that country. Senator Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF) asked for a “transparent” trial, with the presence of international observers.