Brazil refuses sanctions on Iran

US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has failed to win Brazilian support for new sanctions against Iran, despite saying it is the only way to get the country to negotiate in good faith.

Clinton's visit to Brasilia came as US diplomats seek to persuade key UN Security Council members that the time has come for action on Iran, which has defied UN demands that it stop enriching uranium.

The country insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said before he met Clinton that it is not wise to push Iran into a corner. But Lula says he is willing to talk with world leaders about Iran's nuclear standoff in an effort to establish a peaceful solution.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L), Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (C) and Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim shake hands during a meeting in Brasilia March 3, 2010. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes