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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Iranian president visits Brazil | Iranian president visits Brazil |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Brazil, where he will lead a delegation of business leaders. | |
| He is due to meet President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and sign trade deals before visiting Congress and speaking at a university in Brasilia. | He is due to meet President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and sign trade deals before visiting Congress and speaking at a university in Brasilia. |
| Brazil backs Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear programme. The day-long visit has already drawn criticism from Israel and members of the US Congress. | Brazil backs Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear programme. The day-long visit has already drawn criticism from Israel and members of the US Congress. |
| Around 500 people from gay, Jewish and Christian groups protested on Sunday. | Around 500 people from gay, Jewish and Christian groups protested on Sunday. |
| 'Lends legitimacy' | 'Lends legitimacy' |
| It is the first visit by an Iranian president to Brazil, which maintains close ties to the US, Israel and other countries trying to block Iran's nuclear ambitions. | It is the first visit by an Iranian president to Brazil, which maintains close ties to the US, Israel and other countries trying to block Iran's nuclear ambitions. |
| But Brazilian President Lula has said he opposes further sanctions on Iran, and called for diplomacy instead. | But Brazilian President Lula has said he opposes further sanctions on Iran, and called for diplomacy instead. |
| US State Department spokesman Robert Wood declined to comment on the meeting, but said he hoped Brazil would raise some of the US concerns with the Iranian leader. | US State Department spokesman Robert Wood declined to comment on the meeting, but said he hoped Brazil would raise some of the US concerns with the Iranian leader. |
| New York congressman Eliot Engel said President Lula was making "a serious error" by "lending legitimacy" to Mr Ahmadinejad. | New York congressman Eliot Engel said President Lula was making "a serious error" by "lending legitimacy" to Mr Ahmadinejad. |
| Israel too called it a "mistake" for Brazil to host him, AFP reports. | Israel too called it a "mistake" for Brazil to host him, AFP reports. |
| Since coming to power in 2005, Mr Ahmadinejad has sought to build ties with leftist south American leaders. | Since coming to power in 2005, Mr Ahmadinejad has sought to build ties with leftist south American leaders. |
| His five-nation tour also takes him to Venezuela and Bolivia, with stops in the West African countries of Senegal and Gambia on the way home. | His five-nation tour also takes him to Venezuela and Bolivia, with stops in the West African countries of Senegal and Gambia on the way home. |