The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) chose to remain silent in the face of the escalation of protests and violent repression in Iran, while it quickly spoke out to celebrate the victory of the film “The Secret Agent” in two categories at the Golden Globes, this weekend, with a note issued in the early hours of this Monday (12).
Iran plunged into a serious crisis at the end of last year, amid one of the biggest waves of protests against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime in decades, including cutting internet access in the country since last week. Human rights entities speak of more than 600 deaths in the country.
In Brazil, however, until this Monday afternoon (12), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not commented on the situation in the Persian country. THE People’s Gazette He has contacted the government since the morning and is awaiting a response.
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Relations between Brazil and Iran under Lula are marked by diplomacy without direct condemnation of the Middle Eastern country’s theocratic regime. Lula even sent Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) to Iran to represent the Brazilian government at the inauguration of Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, in 2024.
In international forums, on past occasions, Planalto avoided open criticism even when global leaders toughened their tone. At the last G7 summit, in June 2025, Lula condemned Israeli attacks on Iran and what he called “indiscriminate killing” in Gaza, but did not hold the Iranian government responsible for its own actions.
Brazil also abstained from relevant UN votes that condemned human rights violations, including the repression of women and protesters.
The stance was reinforced when Iranian authorities publicly thanked Brazil for its support against Israel and the United States in 2025. The gesture consolidated the image of a diplomatic approach at a time of isolation for the regime.
The demonstrations in Iran began on December 28, 2025 amid 40% inflation, the strong devaluation of the rial and the rise in food and fuel prices. The movement quickly evolved from economic agendas to calls for political change and an end to the theocratic regime, with young people leading the mobilizations for greater civil liberties and against institutional oppression.
Silence on Iran
The Brazilian government, however, remains silent about the situation in Iran. On the official communications page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), there is no message regarding the conflicts. The most recent congratulates Brazilian culture on its victory at the Golden Globes.
“The MRE congratulates director Kleber Mendonça Filho, producer Emilie Lesclaux, the team from the film “The Secret Agent” and actor Wagner Moura. This international recognition reaffirms the excellence of Brazilian cinema and its ability to dialogue with audiences around the world”, he stated in a statement.
The ministry went on to state that it works towards “the internationalization of Brazilian audiovisual, promoting national works at festivals and global awards”. “In the case of ‘The Secret Agent’, the Ministry supported the campaign at Brazilian posts abroad, reinforcing Itamaraty’s institutional commitment to projecting Brazilian culture on the international stage, he added.
