Blair blames Iran of breaks of U.N. obligations

Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that military action against Iran is not being considered, but said the international community won't stand for continued breaches of Tehran's obligations. "Nobody is talking about military threats or invasion of Iran or any of the rest of it," Blair told the House of Commons.

"What we are however saying is that the Iranian government has got to understand that the international community simply will not put up with their continued breach of the proper and normal standards of behavior that we expected from a member of the United Nations."

At a European Union summit last week, Blair made comments that were interpreted as threatening military action. At that time he said regarding Iran's leaders: "If they carry on like this, the question people are going to be asking us is, 'When are you going to do something about this?"'

Blair had joined other leaders in condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call for the destruction of Israel. He also said Iran needed to do more to meet international demands meant to ease concerns over its suspect nuclear program, the AP says.

"Iran has to realize that the international community cannot tolerate continuing conduct that is supporting terrorism around the world, frankly; that is supporting terrorism not just in the Middle East but elsewhere; that is in breach of its nuclear weapons responsibilities and obligations under the Atomic Energy Authority," Blair said Wednesday.

"And I did want to make it clear, and I do make it clear again now, the statements by the Iranian president in respect of Israel are completely and totally unacceptable."

T.E.