Status and Brazil’s role as a peace mediator-lessons of the foreign perceptions of the failed Tehran deal

Abstract

This paper delves into Brazil’s attempt to mediate global conflicts to enhance its international status, focusing on the case of the Tehran Declaration. Drawing on interviews with the foreign policy community of the United Nations Security Council’s permanent members (P5), the study underscores the perception of major powers regarding Brazil’s mediation attempts. The findings suggest that while Brazil’s mediation could enhance its prestige, it is viewed as lacking significant influence in high-stake global security conflicts. The Tehran deal episode exemplifies Brazil’s overextension. These perceptions may provide lessons for the Brazilian attempt to mediate the war in Ukraine.