Regional Security, Not Iran, a Primary Focus in South America

Although Iran was not introduced as a topic in the region-wide debate this weekend, individual countries that seek to promote their influence worldwide, like Brazil and Colombia, may be expected to take more of a stand on Iran in the future, especially if Iran's nuclear program starts to pose a serious global risk.

Sunday evening, for instance, Santos, speaking at the joint press conference following his bilateral meeting with Obama, had the opportunity to address U.S. foreign policy stance towards Iran.

"In our case and in the case of many countries—countries that believe in freedom and democracy—we have the obligation to make sure that those principles are applied in every form possible and in every place possible," he said. "In some cases, sanctions may work. … In some other cases, it has been proven that sanctions are not the solution, and in these cases we need to then pursue the defense of those principles through other ways."

• Read Fighting in Syria Continues Past Ceasefire Deadline
• Check out Debate Club: Should the United States Consider Military Action to Hinder Iran's Nuclear Program?
• Check out U.S. News Weekly: an insider's guide to politics and policy.

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