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Blair Accuses Iran Of 'Contradictory' Statements

February 21, 2007 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair today accused Iranian officials of misleading the international community while continuing its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Blair told members of Parliament today that recent messages from Tehran to the UN nuclear watchdog are a further signal of Iranian intransigence.

"The statements emanating from Iran are contradictory, but as the words yesterday of the head of the [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)] indicate, their nuclear weapons ambitions appear to continue," Blair said.

As Blair spoke, Russia's and France's foreign ministers urged international unity in the standoff with Iran.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said during a visit to Moscow that UN Security Council members should draft a tougher resolution to try and make Iran stop its uranium enrichment.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today urged the international community to slap harsher sanctions on Iran over the nuclear issue.

Iranian officials have indicated they will ignore a Security Council deadline of midnight tonight to halt uranium enrichment.

The IAEA is expected to present a finding that Iranian enrichment continues to the council in the next several days.

(Reuters, AP, AFP)

Copyright (c) 2007. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org