BRASILIA - Israel and Brazil sparred Wednesday over nuclear ambitions in the Middle East, especially Iran's atomic development program, during a visit by extremist Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Brazil should bring its growing ties with Iran to bear to help block Tehran's nuclear efforts, Lieberman said in a joint news conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.
"I believe that Brazil, more than other countries, could try to convince the Iranians to stop their nuclear program," Lieberman said.
Iran, he said, "is a major threat, and not only in the Middle East."
Amorim, though, indicated that Brazil would not change its stance with Iran.
Brazil defended Iran's goal for nuclear development for "exclusively non-military" use within a "verifiable" framework, he said.
He also said that "Brazil would like all countries to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty" and wanted to see "a Middle East free of nuclear weapons."
That was a swipe at Israel, which is the only country which possesses nuclear weapons in region.
The Jewish state, which is seen as the only nuclear arms power in the Middle East, has refused to sign the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
The media conference was held on the second day of Lieberman's 10-day trip around South America that will also include stops in Argentina, Peru and Colombia.
The Israeli government said the aim of the tour is to counter the growing influence of its arch foe Iran in the region.
Lieberman also confirmed that Israeli President Shimon Peres would visit Brazil in November, and invited Lula to visit Israel next year.
Peres's trip to Brazil would likely come just after that of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to draft timetable advanced by Iran's ambassador to Brazil, Mohsen Shaterzadeh.
Ahmadinejad had been scheduled to visit Brazil in May, but canceled at the last minute to concentrate on what turned out to be controversial June 12 elections at home.
Iran insists it has the right to develop nuclear technology, which it says is aimed at generating energy for its growing population.
Observers say due the strong Jewish and pro-Israel lobbies in the US and some European countries, these countries have taken a hypocritical stance in relation to nuclear issues in the region.
Tehran had repeatedly protested against Israeli war threats, warning them that it would retaliate in the event of any strike against Iran.
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