British PM threatens fresh sanctions for Iran

Doha, Qatar (AHN) – British Prime Minister David Cameron, on a trip to the Middle East, has urged Iran to stop its ambitious nuclear weapons program or face fresh sanctions.

Expressing grave concerns on Iran’s nuclear program, Cameron said that the Islamic nation is becoming a “pariah” state and vowed to vigorously work to force the government to change its course.

On a stop in Qatar, Cameron said that Iran would remain a grave concern to the international community because of its intention to acquire nuclear weapons. “They are already suffering from international sanctions, their economy is weak and vulnerable and the regime only survives by cracking down on its political opposition. On its current path, Iran is set to become an international pariah state with no friends, no money, nowhere to go,” the British leader said.

Amid growing international concerns, the United Nations has imposed a fourth round of sanctions last year over Iran’s defiance to stop uranium enrichment on its soil-a move, Western nations believe, is aimed at developing a nuclear bomb under civilian cover. However, Iran vehemently denies the allegations and claims that its nuclear program is to meet the country’s growing energy demands.

While Cameron doesn’t find anything wrong in Britain selling weapons to Arab leaders-a statement he made during his Kuwait visit–he said the international community did not want a nuclear arms race. In Kuwait, he justified his decision to bring eight arms manufacturers on his Gulf tour. “A properly regulated trade in defense is nothing we should be ashamed of. The fact that there are British defense companies on this visit – BAE, Thales and others – is perfectly right in this regard,” he said.

Turning his attention to political reforms in the Gulf, Cameron threatened that Middle Eastern nations could lose the European Union’s funding. Cameron’s aide said that the EU grants 2.4 billion euros annually to Middle East nations to promote democracy, adding that the its Neighborhood Policy funding had “completely failed.”

He added that the time had come to “turn off this tap” of aid. The official said, “On all the big things you would expect the EU to stand up for, there has been very little progress. At the same time we continue to pour money into Egypt and other countries of the region. We can’t be in this position, where we are using our taxpayers’ money, other member states’ taxpayers’ money… when we are not getting anything in return.”

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