LONDON, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- The British Conservative Party has urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to keep open the possibility of military force against Iran over its nuclear programs.
Shadow Defense Secretary Liam Fox called on Blair to follow the example set by U.S. President George W. Bush and keep all options on the table in the ongoing dispute over the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions.
Speaking at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. Wednesday night, he criticized the British government for failing to deal effectively with the looming nuclear threat.
The international community must not take the risk of allowing a state in the Middle East to develop a nuclear weapon, he said.
Fox backed diplomatic efforts to resolve the current stand-off but said the threat of force was essential to such attempts.
"Every pressure must be brought. But it was wrong for the European Union's Foreign Affairs spokesman Xavier Solana to rule out the use of force. It is wrong for Britain's foreign secretary, Jack Straw, to echo him.
"Frederick the Great once observed that diplomacy without arms was like music without instruments. We must keep all options open if we are to stand any chance of a diplomatic solution to the Iranian crisis."
Iran is facing referral to the United Nations Security Council over its decision in January to resume uranium enrichment at its nuclear facilities. Many Western nations suspect Iran is aiming to develop a nuclear weapon; however Tehran denies this, insisting its programs are for energy purposes only.
