PA: Gordon Brown insisted that questions remained over Iran’s intentions despite a US intelligence report suggesting Tehran had abandoned its nuclear weapons programme. The Press Association
Gordon Brown insisted that questions remained over Iran’s intentions despite a US intelligence report suggesting Tehran had abandoned its nuclear weapons programme.
The Prime Minister said the Islamic Republic was still in breach of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and must be pressured by the international community to get “back in line”.
His comments follow the publication of the National Intelligence Estimate declaration in the US last week that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons programme four years ago.
The publication was seen as setting back any potential US-led military action against the Iranian regime.
Speaking to the House of Commons Liaison Committee, Mr Brown said: “The issue we are most concerned about is the enrichment of uranium. If Iran is enriching uranium or seeking to do so, in a context where it has no real programmes for civil nuclear power, there is a question mark over what motive… and over the purpose of what the enrichment of uranium could, in a very short period of time, lead to.
“The UN Security Council motions are related to the enrichment of uranium and the threat that potentially causes because you can move from enriching uranium quickly to the production of nuclear weapons.”
Mr Brown said a report by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency showing that Iran had about 3,000 centrifuges enriching uranium demonstrated it was in breach of non-proliferation agreements.
“The world is right to insist by sanctions that Iran comes back into line,” he added.
Mr Brown said there were a number of “important offers” on the table for Iran to pursue its civil nuclear power ambitions with the support of the international community.
