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No plans to attack Iran - Blair | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Prime Minister Tony Blair says people are "increasingly alarmed" by Iran's strategy but said military action was not being planned against it. | |
He said no option was "off the table" but "nobody is talking about or planning military intervention". | He said no option was "off the table" but "nobody is talking about or planning military intervention". |
Iran's nuclear programme and strategy create the maximum trouble for us" in the region was a "miscalculation", he told a committee of senior MPs. | |
Mr Blair also said Tehran was trying to prevent reconciliation in Iraq. | Mr Blair also said Tehran was trying to prevent reconciliation in Iraq. |
Nobody's talking about military intervention in respect of Iran but people are increasingly alarmed and concerned at the strategy that they appear to be pursing Tony Blair class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6334225.stm">Analysis: MPs grill Blair | |
He told MPs: "Their strategy is to create the maximum trouble for us and for the region and I think that is a miscalculation because in the end they are going to find that they assemble a very large coalition against them. | He told MPs: "Their strategy is to create the maximum trouble for us and for the region and I think that is a miscalculation because in the end they are going to find that they assemble a very large coalition against them. |
"Nobody's talking about military intervention in respect of Iran but people are increasingly alarmed and concerned at the strategy that they appear to be pursing." | "Nobody's talking about military intervention in respect of Iran but people are increasingly alarmed and concerned at the strategy that they appear to be pursing." |
He added that he was sure numerous "doors would open", if they showed some sign that they were prepared to change that strategy. | He added that he was sure numerous "doors would open", if they showed some sign that they were prepared to change that strategy. |
Nuclear technology | |
He said that the Iranian people were seeing a "squeeze" on their living standards as a result of the current situation. | He said that the Iranian people were seeing a "squeeze" on their living standards as a result of the current situation. |
Iran says its efforts to enrich uranium are an expression of its right to develop nuclear power under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of which it is a member. | |
Under the treaty, non-nuclear weapons states area can acquire nuclear technology for civil purposes, but commit themselves not to build a bomb. | |
But the US and its Western allies suspect Iran of using its nuclear energy programme as a cover to produce atomic weapons. | |
On Monday a coalition of charities, faith groups and unions urged Mr Blair to put pressure on the US to enter talks with Tehran. | |
They said any military action against Iran would destabilise the region and provoke further attacks against British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. | |
And on Sunday three former high-ranking US military officers warned that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy, urging Washington to start direct talks with Iran. |