▁permitted ▁to ▁explore ▁oil ▁res erves ▁in ▁Iran . ▁Between ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁trade ▁with ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁increased ▁ 4 7 %. ▁Iran ▁became ▁Brazil ’ s ▁second ▁largest ▁im porter ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁Rec ent ▁history ▁In ▁recent ▁years , ▁Brazil ▁has ▁continued ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁normal ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁Iran , ▁despite ▁the ▁international ▁san ctions ▁against ▁Iran ’ s ▁nuclear ▁program . ▁Bras ília ▁cons iders ▁that ▁the ▁International ▁At omic ▁Energy ▁Agency , ▁not ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council , ▁should ▁resolve ▁the ▁dispute ▁over ▁the ▁program . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁President ▁Lu iz ▁In á cio ▁L ula ▁da ▁Silva ▁stated ▁that ▁" I ran ▁has ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁proceed ▁with ▁peace ful ▁nuclear ▁research ▁and ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁pun ished ▁just ▁because ▁of ▁Western ▁susp ic ions ▁it ▁wants ▁to ▁make ▁an ▁atomic ▁bomb ," ▁and ▁that ▁" so ▁far , ▁Iran ▁has ▁committed ▁no ▁crime ▁regarding ▁United ▁Nations ▁gu idel ines ▁on ▁nuclear ▁weapons ." ▁The ▁Brazil ian ▁government ' s ▁view ▁was ▁re aff ir med ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁when ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁Cel so ▁Am or im ▁stated ▁that ▁" B raz il ▁does ▁not ▁recognize ▁un il ater al ▁san ctions ▁im posed ▁on ▁Iran , ▁whether ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁or ▁the ▁European ▁Union , ▁[ and ] ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁government ▁should ▁fully ▁co oper ate ▁with ▁the ▁ag