Turkey, Brazil discuss ways to solve Iranian Nuclear row

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday confirmed that Turkey is discussing Iran 's nuclear program with Brazil , saying that both countries are trying to solve the issue through peaceful means. He made the remarks in Istanbul alongside his visiting Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim, following a one-and-a-half-hour working lunch. Brazil and Turkey , which both hold nonpermanent seats on the UN Security Council, are currently seeking alternatives to sanctions over Iran 's nuclear program. Implying that they have intensified talks for a peaceful solution, Davutoglu said they frequently talk on the phone and that their weekly discussions have become almost routine. On Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's visit to Turkey last year, Davutoglu said it marked the start of high-level visits between the two countries. "Turkish-Brazilian strategic cooperation is rapidly improving," he said. Davutoglu added that he will go to Brazil with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan next month as Brazil will be hosting a summit of the Alliance of Civilizations, which Turkey co-chairs. Reiterating that they are pleased about strengthening bilateral relations and working together in several international forums, Davutoglu said the two countries have similar positions on almost all international issues, adding that they are cooperating on international platforms and that they have developed very close relations regarding Iran's nuclear program. He said Erdogan and Lula met last week in the US and then he went to Brazil as a follow-up to this meeting, and later traveled to Iran and Brussels and told Amorim about his meetings, since Amorim will visit Iran after Turkey . "Both countries' goal is to contribute to global peace and maintain regional stability," Davutoglu said. Silva is also set to visit Tehran next month to discuss possible ways to peacefully resolve the issue of Iran 's nuclear program.