UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Wednesday distanced the British government from US threats to extend its war against Iraq to Iran or Syria. There was no case whatsoever to attack Iran, Straw said. Britain would have "nothing whatever" to do with any military action against Syria or Iran, he said.
"Iran is a completely different country," Straw said. "Iran is an emerging democracy and there would be no case whatsoever for taking any kind of action," he noted.
According to IRNA, he said he had made extensive personal efforts to improve bilateral relations with Iran. Straw said he had extensive talks with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi over the weekend and that Britain had "good cooperation from the Iranian government."
"The Iranians have more reason to know of the terror imposed by Saddam Hussein, not just on his own people but on other peoples in the region, than almost any other country including Kuwait," the British Foreign Secretary said.
With regard to Syria, Britain's top diplomat said Prime Minister Tony Blair has personally worked to improve contacts. It is important that Syria ensures it is not used as a conduit for military supplies to Iraq and "we have worked hard to try to improve relations."
Asked directly if he was concerned with the impression being created that Syria and Iran would be targeted next after Iraq, he said "it would worry me if it were true." "It is not true," Straw said. The British government "would have nothing whatever to do with an approach like that," he insisted. (Albawaba.com)
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