Britain does not rule out military action against Iran

Jan 15, 2012, 13:33 GMT

London - Britain is not ruling out military action against Iran, but will try to ensure peaceful negotiations, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sunday in an interview with Sky News.

He said all options are on the table in what he described as Iran's 'increasingly dangerous' development of nuclear weapons.

'We have not ruled out any option, or supporting any option. We believe all options should be on the table, that is part of the pressure on Iran,' he said.

'But we are clearly not calling for or advocating military action. We are advocating meaningful negotiations, if Iran will enter into them, and the increasing pressure of sanctions to try to get some flexibility from Iran,' said Hague.

In a November report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Tehran of being involved in a secret nuclear weapons programme. Iran categorically denied the charges.

Amid the threat of Western sanctions, Iran warned it would block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international oil route in the Persian Gulf.

'Our sanctions are part of getting Iran to change course and to enter negotiations and we should not be deterred from implementing those,' Hague told Sky News.

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