Blair warns Iran against 'serious mistake' on nuclear programme
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 02 08 06
Iran will be making a "very, very serious mistake" if
it ignores international concern over its feared development of
nuclear weapons, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday.
In a question and answer session with senior members of parliament,
Blair said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decision
to report Iran to the UN Security Council was "an important
first step".
"We have got to discuss with allies how we proceed. The answers
are not easy," he said.
He reiterated that military action against the Islamic republic
was "not on our agenda" and that he hoped the simmering
crisis can be resolved through diplomatic means.
"It is interesting that over the past few months there has
been a change of mood in Europe as well as in the United States,"
Blair told the House of Commons liaison committee.
"Iran would make a very, very serious mistake if it thinks
the international community is going to allow it to develop nuclear
weapons capability."
Iran suspended voluntary cooperation with IAEA inspectors after
the UN watchdog voted 27-3 last Friday to report its concerns
about Tehran's nuclear programme to the UN Security Council, which
could impose sanctions.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad contends that his oil-rich
nation wants to develop nuclear power for civilian energy needs.
But Blair argued that Iran's credibility with the rest of the
world remains in question after Ahmadinejad last October called
for Israel -- which is suspected of having its own nuclear capability
-- to be "wiped off the map".
"When its president makes statements such as the ones that
are made about the state of Israel, that enhances people's concerns
about the fact of their having a nuclear weapons capability,"
he said.
"When they are then in addition trying to export and support
terrorism around the whole of that (Middle East) region, it's
a problem. When they're trying to meddle in Iraq, it's a problem.
"These problems, which they combine together, then give the
international community more concern in respect of the programme
that they say is merely a nuclear energy programme."
Britain, together with France and Germany, has been involved in
negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue on behalf of the European
Union, with support from the United States.
AFP
02/07/06
Copyright
© 2006 AFP. All rights reserved
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