Renata Giraldi Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – Yesterday, April 11, the minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Miguel Jorge, and a group of 86 Brazilian businessmen traveled to Tehran as part of the preparations for the May 15th visit by president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The group will be in Iran until April 13; after that, they travel to Egypt (April 14 and 15) and then to Lebanon, on April 16.
Along with the minister and businessmen one politician, a federal deputy, Julio Delgado (PSB-MG), is also making the trip. He is a member of the Chamber of Deputies Foreign Relations Commission. Delgado says he will look at Iran in an "uncontaminated, neutral" manner.
This trip to Iran comes against a background of growing American – and international - pressure in favor of sanctions against that country because of its nuclear program. Miguel Jorge admitted that some of that pressure was felt in the Brazilian business community and a few businessmen decided not to make the trip. “But that has not stopped the rest. Our group consists of big, medium and small business representatives and all are going to Tehran with an open mind,” declared the minister in an Agência Brasil interview.
Jorge said the goal was to further diversify Brazilian trade partners and increase sales abroad. So, his group of businessmen had interests in many economic sectors.
 In 2009, Brazilian exports to Iran, Egypt and Lebanon totaled around $3 billion, with imports at $110 million. It is a region, said Jorge, that should have GDP growth in 2010 of 3% in Iran and Egypt, with Lebanon a little better at 4%. “For most Brazilian businessmen these are closed and difficult markets (especially Iran and Egypt). So, the idea is to make contacts and open the markets for our exports.”

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English