cio ▁L ula ▁da ▁Silva ▁took ▁office ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁L ula ▁da ▁Silva ▁administration ▁sought , ▁during ▁its ▁first ▁years ▁in ▁office , ▁to ▁re est ab lish ▁Brazil ' s ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁and ▁deep en ▁its ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁countries ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁The ▁Middle ▁East ▁became ▁a ▁foreign ▁policy ▁priority , ▁and ▁Iran ▁was ▁viewed ▁as ▁an ▁extremely ▁important ▁partner . ▁This ▁new ▁policy ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁reci pro city ▁in ▁Te h ran . ▁The ▁Iran ian ▁government ▁has ▁come ▁to ▁define ▁its ▁relations ▁with ▁Latin ▁America ▁as ▁a ▁top ▁priority . ▁Bras ília ▁and ▁Te h ran ▁established ▁a ▁permanent ▁high - level ▁consult ation ▁mechanism , ▁that ▁altern ates ▁between ▁their ▁two ▁capit als , ▁and ▁en comp ass ▁various ▁areas . ▁This ▁allows ▁both ▁govern ments ▁to ▁have ▁regular ▁tal ks ▁and ▁cons olid ates ▁the ▁bil ater al ▁relationship . ▁ ▁The ▁change ▁in ▁Iran ian ▁leadership , ▁from ▁the ▁reform ist ▁Moh amm ad ▁K hat ami ▁to ▁the ▁ult ra con serv ative ▁Mah m oud ▁A hm ad ine j ad , ▁did ▁not ▁change ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁perspective . ▁Even ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁A hm ad ine j ad ▁and ▁his ▁subsequent ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁bil ater al ▁relations ▁had ▁increased ▁significantly . ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Brazil ian ▁state - run ▁oil ▁company ▁Pet ro bras ▁has ▁been