TEHRAN (Xinhua) -- Iran's Minister of Industries and Mines said Monday the expansion of cooperation between Iran and the Latin American states, Brazil in particular, is strategic, the official IRNA news agency reported.      Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, also the head of Iran-Brazil Joint Economic Commission, said the expansion of cooperation between Tehran and Brasilia in various fields will form a ""significant power"" in the world that can join Iran with the important Latin American countries.      Referring to the recent trip of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil as a new beginning in bilateral relations, Mehrabian told IRNA that the visit would increase the level of cooperation between the two nations.      The talks between the Iranian and Brazilian presidents were positive and focused on the economic, trade, technological, energy, agricultural and industrial issues, Mehrabian said.      The Iranian and Brazilian officials signed a number of economic, trade, cultural, sport, scientific and political cooperation agreements during the last-week visit to Brasilia by Ahmadinejad.      Brazilian President Lula da Silva has defended Iran's right to develop peaceful nuclear technology.      Iran has developed strong ties with some major Latin American states, including Brazil and Venezuela, in recent years in energy production, economy and industry, especially after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005.