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BRASILIA — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday urged his visiting Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to find a "just solution" with the West to Tehran's contested nuclear program.

Lula, speaking in a joint media conference with Ahmadinejad, reiterated that Brazil backed Iran's declared quest for "peaceful nuclear energy in full respect of international accords."

He appealed to Ahmadinejad to "continue contacts with interested countries for a just and balanced solution on the nuclear issue in Iran."

Ahmadinejad, for his part, voiced support for Brazil's bid to one day become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Brazil is to take one of the non-permanent seats -- those without the power of veto -- in 2010 and 2011.

"We support a reformed UN Security Council and for Brazil to have a permanent seat," he said.

He argued the council "has failed over the past 60 years because of the veto power of a small number of countries, a source of insecurity for several countries in the world."