Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday, 8 May said he urged US President Donald Trump to pursue dialogue with Iran rather than military escalation, and personally handed Trump a copy of the 2010 nuclear agreement brokered by Brazil and Turkey. The exchange took place as the two leaders concluded a closed-door meeting at the White House, focused on trade, tariffs, and global conflicts.

Lula's Warning on Iran

Speaking at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington after the meeting, Lula said he told Trump that dialogue was more effective than war. "I believe much more in dialogue than in war," Lula said. "I think the invasion of Iran will cause more damage than he imagines."

Lula said he presented Trump with the 2010 Brazil-Turkey-Iran nuclear agreement for the second time, describing it as proof that diplomacy could work. "We managed to convince Iran to accept a revised agreement regarding the non-production of nuclear weapons," he said. Trump reportedly told him, "I will read it tonight," according to Lula.

Why the 2010 Deal Collapsed — and Why Lula Is Reviving It

Lula argued the original deal was undermined by Western powers after its conclusion. "Regrettably, when we finalised that agreement, I do not know why Obama and the European Union — and the rest of the world — decided to ramp up the pressure on Iran," he said. "Possibly because the parties who had brokered the deal were 'Third World' nations."

The 2010 Tehran Declaration, signed by Brazil, Turkey, and Iran, proposed a uranium swap arrangement intended to limit Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity. It was rejected by the UN Security Council, which instead passed fresh sanctions on Tehran within weeks of its signing — a move that deeply frustrated Brasília at the time. Lula's decision to raise the document again signals Brazil's continued interest in positioning itself as a credible mediator in one of the world's most volatile diplomatic flashpoints.

Trade Talks and Working Groups

Beyond Iran, the White House meeting covered bilateral trade tensions, including a Section 301 investigation by the Trump administration into Brazilian trade practices and the prospect of new tariffs on Brazilian goods. Lula said both sides agreed to establish working groups to resolve disputes within 30 days.

"I am very optimistic," Lula said. "We have interest in the United States investing in Brazil again." Trump later posted on Truth Social that the meeting "went very well" and that both sides discussed "Trade and, specifically, Tariffs."

Lula also invited American participation in Brazil's critical minerals sector, including rare earth projects, while stressing that Brazil would not settle for being a raw material exporter. "What we do not want is to be mere exporters," he said.

Cuba, UN Reform, and Geopolitical Positioning

On Cuba, Lula said Trump indicated he had "no intention of invading Cuba", which Lula called "a great sign". He also criticised global powers for failing to reform the United Nations Security Council, arguing that countries including Brazil, India, Germany, Japan, and South Africa deserved greater roles in global governance.

"It is the geopolitics of 2026, not the geopolitics of 1945," Lula said — a pointed reference to the post-World War II architecture that still governs multilateral institutions. The White House meeting notably took place without the traditional Oval Office press appearance; Lula said he had deliberately avoided speaking to reporters before the talks concluded.

State of US-Brazil Relations

The meeting comes amid significant strain in US-Brazil ties over tariffs, technology regulation, and diverging positions on Iran and global conflicts. Despite ideological differences — Lula is a left-wing leader, Trump a conservative nationalist — both sides signalled interest in stabilising the relationship between Latin America's largest economy and the United States.

Lula said the two leaders had developed "chemistry" and described their relationship as "very good". Whether the optimism translates into concrete outcomes on tariffs and Iran diplomacy will become clearer once the agreed working groups begin their 30-day consultations.