US-Israel war with Iran: Lula and Ramaphosa call for peace

Meeting in Brasilia on Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Brazilian counterpart Lula da Silva both called for peace in the Middle East, where the US-Irael war with Iran continues to claim lives.

President Lula da Silva insisted his belief that drones should be used for other purposes than warfare, saying, "here in South America, we position ourselves as a region of peace. Here, no one has nuclear bombs, no one has atomic bombs, here our drones are for agriculture, for science and technology, and not for war."

His south African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, lamented the loss of life in the US-Israel war against Iran, which has claimed more than 2200 deaths in the region. He said, “our visit to Brazil takes place against the backdrop of renewed conflict in the Middle East. We reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of disputes in line with the United Nations Charter. And we condemn the loss of life, particularly the loss of civilian life.”

Warning that in his opinion, both nations should be ready to defend themselves, Brazil's president suggested Brazil and South Africa could boost cooperation in the defense sector.

Since the US and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran on 28 February, war has spread across the Middle East; with countries including Lebanon, Qatar and Kuwait among those affected by the violence.