Iran could be able to build a nuclear bomb in less than a year and confronts the world with one of its most "urgent" threats, David Cameron said yesterday. In his first detailed statement on Iran, the Conservative leader urged the Government to mobilise the United Nations Security Council and the European Union to impose tougher sanctions on Teheran.
"Every week, every month that goes by brings Iran closer to possessing a nuclear weapon," said Mr Cameron. "We have to recognise that the next Government of this country could face continuing violence in Iraq and Afghanistan and the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran." Mr Cameron declined to rule out supporting military action against Teheran's nuclear facilities. But he stressed the drawbacks, saying that "Iran having a nuclear weapon would be calamity but military action could be calamitous".
Iran is defying three United Nations resolutions by continuing to enrich uranium at its nuclear plant in Natanz. This highly sensitive process could be used to manufacture weapons-grade uranium. Once it has enough of this essential material, Iran could build a nuclear bomb. The Government's efforts to stop Iran from reaching this point were not working, said Mr Cameron, and a new package of "penalties and incentives" was needed. In particular, he said that an arms embargo should be imposed on Iran. The key figures running its nuclear programme should be banned from travelling and their overseas assets frozen.
But the measures suggested by Mr Cameron would take years to impose real costs on Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's regime plans to complete its nuclear facility in Natanz by the end of this month.
|