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British PM vows to be watchful of Iran |
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Thursday, 23 December 2004 |
Reuters
 JERUSALEM — British Prime Minister Tony Blair says Europe was "not naive" about Iran's nuclear plans and would ensure Tehran fulfils an obligation to freeze work that could lead to making nuclear weapons.
Blair spoke on Israeli television yesterday after a daylong visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories to help revive peace efforts after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death Nov. 11.
His remarks came amid new concern about Iran's recent decision to go ahead with plans to prepare raw uranium for enrichment, a step that could lead to the making of bomb-grade material for production of a nuclear bomb.
Western diplomats have said Iran was using a loophole in a deal with EU nations on freezing enrichment activity to finish some limited conversion of uranium begun before the suspension took effect in November. Blair told Israel's Channel 1 he was intent on "making sure that Iran complies with the rules of the atomic energy authority. We've got undertakings from Iran ... we've got to make sure those are bolted down properly and implemented."
"We aren't naive about it," Blair said, when asked if he thought diplomatic efforts to curtail Iran's nuclear program would work. "We intend to make sure these obligations are carried out."
The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that Iran should end its uranium conversion efforts immediately.
Yesterday in Tehran, the intelligence minister said Iran has arrested more than 10 people this year for spying on its atomic projects for Washington and Israel — three of them working within the state nuclear program. |
