Straw rules out military action in Iran

Last updated at 11:42 11 November 2005


Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has again insisted military action against Iran was inconceivable.

Mr Straw has already said no-one was looking at invading the country.

But Tony Blair took a tough line against president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map".

The Prime Minister's words were seen by some as a warning of the possibility of military action.

There are also concerns over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Mr Straw said his words still stood. "The Prime Minister made it clear, both at the time and more recently, that he was not talking about military action," he said.

The Foreign Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I know there is speculation about this, I understand that. But military action is not on the agenda for the United Kingdom, for the EU/E3, nor is it, as Secretary Rice has made clear, for the United States."

He said President Ahmadinejad's "outrageous" comments had not only affected Iran's diplomatic position, but had also weakened his own position in the country.

Mr Straw also addressed the recent terror attack in Jordan. Speaking from Baghdad, Mr Straw insisted terrorists were operating in the region before the Iraq war.

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