Brazil Allows Two Iranian Warships to Dock in Rio de Janeiro Despite Pressure from the United States

The launch of the Iranian frigate IRIS 75 Dena. (Wikimedia Commons/MojNews/Mohammad Agah)

JAKARTA - Two Iranian warships docked in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, after the Brazilian Government under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva granted permission despite pressure from the United States to ban them.

The warships IRIS 441 Makran and IRIS 75 Dena both arrived on Sunday morning, the Rio Port Authority said in a statement.

Earlier this month it was reported Brazil had bowed to Washington's pressure and rejected Iran's request for the ships to dock in Rio in late January, on a cue from President Lula as he flew to Washington to meet US President Joe Biden.

However, with Lula's passage, the ships had been cleared to dock. Deputy Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Navy Vice Admiral Carlos Eduardo Horta Arentz, gave his approval for the ships to dock in Rio between February 26 and March 4, according to a notice in the Gazette dated February 23.

The US Embassy in Brasilia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this matter.

The Brazilian Navy authorizes foreign vessels to dock in Brazil, but only after authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes into account the requesting embassy's petitions and logistics.

The presence of Iranian warships on Brazil's shores continues to irritate the United States, as it seeks to forge closer ties with the Lula administration, which took office on January 1.

In a February 15 news conference, US Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley urged Brazil not to allow Iranian ships to dock.

"In the past, these ships facilitated illegal trade and terrorist activities, and have also been sanctioned by the United States. Brazil is a sovereign country, but we firmly believe that ships should not dock anywhere," he said.

Diplomacy with Iran was one of the highlights of Lula's efforts to bolster Brazil's international standing during his previous presidency.

He traveled to Tehran to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2010, while trying to broker a nuclear deal between Iran and the United States.