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Brazil's Bolsonaro, Long a Skeptic, Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Reuters)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Reuters)
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Brazil's Bolsonaro, Long a Skeptic, Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Reuters)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Reuters)

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, after months of playing down the severity of the virus which he has called a "little flu."

The right-wing populist said in an interview broadcast on state-run TV Brasil that he was in good health despite running a fever.

Bolsonaro said he took the test on Monday after feeling ill the previous day and has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug with unproven effectiveness against COVID-19.

The positive test looks set to spark a frantic period of contact tracing and further tests for those who met Bolsonaro in recent days, including Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, Brazilian bank Bradesco's Chairman Luiz Carlos Trabuco and planemaker Embraer's CEO Francisco Gomes Neto.

Over the weekend, Bolsonaro was also in close contact with US Ambassador Todd Chapman during July 4 celebrations. Pictures showed neither wearing a mask.

Brazil has the world's second-largest outbreak behind the United States. Latin America's largest country has more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 COVID-19 deaths.

Bolsonaro joins a short list of heads of government to become infected with the coronavirus, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, both of whom were treated in hospital and needed extra oxygen.

Pan American Health Organization director for communicable diseases Marcos Espinal wished Bolsonaro a "speedy recovery" but said his infection carried a message.

"The message is that this virus is unpredictable and does not respect race, class or people in power, despite security around any president," Espinal said.

"For Brazil, the infection of its president should reinforce the need to strengthen implementations of social distancing recommendations and the use of masks to mitigate the spread of coronavirus," he added.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly defied local guidelines to wear a mask in public, even after a judge ordered him to do so in late June. Bolsonaro has also railed against social distancing rules supported by the World Health Organization.

The US embassy in Brasilia said via Twitter on Monday that the ambassador had lunch on July 4 with Bolsonaro, five ministers and the president's son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro. The ambassador had no symptoms, but would undergo testing and is "taking precautions," the embassy said.

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Iran Says No Nuclear Deal If Deprived of 'Peaceful Activities'

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty (C) meets with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo on June 2, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty (C) meets with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo on June 2, 2025. (AFP)
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Iran Says No Nuclear Deal If Deprived of 'Peaceful Activities'

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty (C) meets with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo on June 2, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty (C) meets with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo on June 2, 2025. (AFP)

Iran said Monday it will not accept a nuclear agreement that deprives it of what it called "peaceful activities", a reference to uranium enrichment, as it pressed the United States for guarantees it would drop sanctions.

Uranium enrichment has remained a key point of contention between the foes in talks to seal a nuclear deal, ongoing since April, with Iran defending what it says is its pursuit of a civil nuclear program but with the US side calling it a "red line".

Speaking in Cairo, where he met the UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: "If the goal is to deprive Iran of its peaceful activities, then certainly no agreement will be reached."

Araghchi insisted that Iran has "nothing to hide" on its nuclear program.

"Iran has a peaceful nuclear program... we are prepared to provide this assurance to any party or entity," he said.

The remarks came after Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday called for more transparency from Iran following a leaked report that showed Tehran had stepped up uranium enrichment.

- 'Full explanation of activities' -

The IAEA report showed that Iran has ramped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent -- close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons.

"There is a need for more transparency -- this is very, very clear -- in Iran, and nothing will bring us to this confidence (besides) full explanations of a number of activities," Grossi said ahead of meeting Araghchi.

Grossi added that some of the report's findings "may be uncomfortable for some, and we are... used to being criticized".

Iran has rejected the report, warning it would retaliate if European powers that have threatened to reimpose nuclear sanctions "exploit" it.

"Some countries are trying to abuse this agency to pave the way for escalation with Iran. I hope that this agency does not fall into this trap," Araghchi said of the IAEA.

Iran meanwhile pushed for the United States to drop sanctions that have crippled its economy as a condition for a nuclear agreement with President Donald Trump's administration.

Araghchi said on Saturday that he had received "elements" of a US proposal for a nuclear deal following five rounds of talks mediated by Oman.

- 'With or without a deal' -

Both Araghchi and Grossi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who praised the US-Iran talks and called for "de-escalation in order to prevent a slide into a full-fledged regional war".

On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference: "We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted."

"So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue," he said.

The US envoy in the nuclear talks said last month that Trump's administration would oppose any Iranian enrichment.

"An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That's our red line. No enrichment," Steve Witkoff told Breitbart News.

Following a phone call with Witkoff the day before about the ongoing nuclear talks, Egyptian FM Abdelatty urged a peaceful solution and a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East, saying in Monday's press conference that "the region is already experiencing enough problems and crises".

He warned that military confrontation would create "a state of chaos from which no one will be spared".

Iran has vowed to keep enriching uranium "with or without a deal" on its nuclear program.

The United States has sent Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal that the White House called "acceptable" and in Tehran's "best interest" to accept, US media reported on Saturday.

The New York Times, citing officials familiar with the diplomatic exchanges, said the proposal calls on Iran to stop all enrichment and suggests creating a regional grouping to produce nuclear power.

Iran has held five rounds of talks with the United States in search of a new agreement to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.