Rice: No attack on Iran
The question of whether the US would attack Iran is “simply not on the agenda at this point”, Condoleezza Rice said today.
The US Secretary of State was responding to a direct question about the threat posed by what President George Bush this week called “the world’s primary state sponsor of terror”.
Speaking to a press conference with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Ms Rice condemned Tehran’s support for terrorism, which she said was “destabilising” peace in the Middle East; its nuclear energy programmes; and its “dismal” human rights record.
But she said there were “plenty of diplomatic means at our disposal” to get Iran to toe the international line on these issues.
Ms Rice added that the US was “completely unified” in its concerns about Iran, and was backed in this claim by Mr Straw. He said that progress was being made with Iran only because of an “international consensus” that action needed to be taken.
The Secretary of State’s visit to London, during which she also met Tony Blair, comes at the start of her first international tour of Europe, Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Ms Rice thanked Britain for its support in Iraq, saying the US had “no better friend and ally” and that the two countries shared a “global agenda” in the roll-out of democracy and the fight against terrorism.
With regards to next week’s summit between the leaders of Israel, the Palestinian people and Egypt, Ms Rice said she would not attend herself, despite being nearby.
“Not every effort has to be an American effort. It is extremely important that the regional actors are taking responsibility,” she said.
However, Ms Rice welcomed Egypt’s help in hosting the summit and said it was one of several hopeful signs for peace in the Middle East.
For his part, Mr Straw said the summit talks were a “great opportunity” for progress in the region but said it was the most difficult and pressing challenge facing the international community at the moment.
