Blair leads EU in 'revulsion' at Iran's Israel comments
MARK BEUNDERMAN
28.10.2005 @ 09:53 CET
UK prime minister Tony Blair has led European leaders in fiercely condemning the Iranian president’s call that Israel "must be wiped off the map", with Russia signalling it is set to back the EU in referring Teheran to the UN security council.
Mr Blair on Thursday (27 October) said he was "revolted" by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s comments, made on Wednesday at a student rally in Teheran.
"People will be asking 'When are you going to do something about it?" (Photo: The Council of the European Union)
"I have never come across a situation of the president of a country saying they want to wipe out - not that they have got a problem with or an issue with, but want to wipe out - another country", the British leader said.
"This is unacceptable and their attitude towards Israel, their attitude towards terrorism, their attitude on the nuclear weapons issue isn't acceptable," he added.
"If they continue down this path then people are going to believe they are a real threat to our world security and stability."
British media report the UK premier was even hinting at the use of military action.
The Telegraph quotes Mr Blair as saying: "I have been answering questions on Iran with everyone saying to me, 'Tell us you are not going to do anything about Iran'. If they carry on like this the question people will be asking is, 'When are you going to do something about it?'"
A senior government source quoted by the paper explaining the prime minister’s remarks said "The prime minister didn't use the 'm' word - but he is making clear that we have to think about these things very seriously indeed."
French and EU condemnations
The French president, whose country together with Britain and Germany is leading EU talks with Teheran over its nuclear programme, said, according to Reuters:
"I was profoundly shocked by the statements of the Iranian president, which are totally senseless and irresponsible. The Iranian president is taking the risk of his country being made an outlaw state".
EU leaders’ talks at an informal summit on Thursday were interrupted by Mr Blair – currently chairing the bloc - for the signing of a common EU statement on the issue.
The statement condemns the Iranian president Ahmadinejad’s remark as "manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community".
"Such comments will cause concern about Iran's role in the region, and its future intentions", the statement reads.
Russia moves to EU position
While Teheran’s ambassadors in European capitals were summoned to provide explanations, the Russian foreign minister signalled his country is considering giving up its resistance against a referral of Iran to the UN security council.
The EU and the US want the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran to the UN security council following suspicions that Teheran is running a nuclear weapons programme.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is quoted as saying by UK media "I have to admit that those who insist on transferring the Iranian nuclear dossier to the United Nations security council have received an additional argument to do so".
The Iranian president’s words were "Anybody who recognises Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury… As the Imam [Ayatollah Khomeini] said, Israel must be wiped off the map. The Islamic world will not let its historic enemy live in its heartland".
