BRASILIA, April 16 (Reuters) - A Brazilian court on Tuesday overturned a previous ruling from a lower tribunal that had suspended state-run oil firm Petrobras chairman Pietro Sampaio Mendes from his role, according to a decision seen by Reuters.

Mendes had been suspended by a Sao Paulo judge last week over a conflict of interest regarding his role in the Ministry of Energy. Both Petrobras and Brazil's government appealed the initial decision. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Kylie Madry)