US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to win Brazil's support Wednesday for more sanctions against Iran and said Tehran would not talk seriously about its nuclear program until the United Nations took new action. Even before he met with Clinton, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said “it is not wise to push Iran into a corner. It is wise to establish negotiations.” “Personally speaking, I think its only after we pass sanctions in the Security Council that Iran will negotiate in good faith,” Clinton said. “That is my belief, that is our administration's belief: that once the international community speaks in unison around a resolution then the Iranians will come and begin to negotiate.” Lula, who has upset Washington by pursuing close ties with Tehran, has repeatedly voiced caution over the drive by the US, Britain, France and Germany for new sanctions over Iran's nuclear program, which they fear is a cover for making atomic weapons. Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim repeated that Brazil felt there was room for two or three months more negotiation with Iran. “We still have some possibility of coming to an agreement ... but that may require a lot of flexibility on both sides,” Amorim said at a news conference with Clinton in Brasilia. “We will not simply bow down to the evolving consensus if we do not agree.” Clinton, who is on a tour of Latin America, expressed disappointment with Brazil's position, and said talks had proved fruitless with Iran. “The door is open for negotiation, we never slammed it shut. but we don't see anybody even in the far off distance walking toward it,” Clinton said. She urged countries to be cautious about Iran's assurances that it had only peaceful intentions. “We have seen an Iran that runs to Brazil, an Iran that runs to Turkey and an Iran that runs to China, telling people different things to different people to avoid international sanctions,” she said. Lula told reporters that while Brazil supported more negotiation with Iran it would “not support any move by Iran to go beyond the peaceful use of nuclear energy.” He added that he planned to have a “frank discussion” on the subject with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he visits Tehran in May.
