Miliband: We can not stand aside
The foreign secretary says the international community will show diplomacy "can have teeth".
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Sunday, 09, Dec 2007 07:20
The foreign secretary has stressed the west must continue to put pressure on Iran despite recent questions over the size of its nuclear ambitions.
A US intelligence report released on Monday concluded that Tehran had abandoned the development of atomic weapons in 2003 and placed doubt over the alleged threat posed by the country.
However the US defence department continues to view Iran as a breeding ground for instability in the Middle East despite the findings of the national intelligence estimate (NIE) report.
And British foreign secretary David Miliband has now called for the international community to remain steadfast in its efforts to persuade Iran to freeze its nuclear programme.
Appearing on Sky News' Sunday Live show, he told political editor Adam Boulton the revelations from the NIE report have been misconstrued.
"The intelligence estimate that came out this week talked about the 'weaponisation' part of a nuclear weapons programme, one of three parts," he said.
"If the Iranians have stopped the weaponisations part - good. But there are two other critical parts. The enrichment, which we know is going on because they boast about it and secondly the missile testing.
"As long as those elements are continuing, we can not stand aside. It's very important that the international community shows that diplomacy can have teeth."
The foreign secretary explained the UK stood alongside the European community, the US, Russia and China in presenting an incentive scheme to Tehran.
Iran could be offered financial, scientific and technological help to develop a nuclear fuel programme to if it stops its enrichment, he said.
However he added that a third United Nation security council resolution to tighten economic sanctions would be pursued until Tehran agrees to freeze its programme.
Click here for a look at Iran's nuclear confrontation with the rest of the world.