Blair brands Iran a sponsor of terrorism

ABC Online:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and urged the Islamic republic to meet EU demands to renounce its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.

"It certainly does sponsor terrorism. There's no doubt about that at all," Mr Blair told a parliamentary committee, agreeing with US President George W Bush's view of Iran as a top sponsor of terrorism.

"I hope very much that if we can make progress in the Middle East, that Iran realises that it's got an obligation to help that, not hinder it," he said, referring to Iran's support for Palestinian militant groups.

Mr Blair said it was a "good sign" that the United States and Europe were "working together" to convince Iran to abandon its feared pursuit of nuclear weapons.

It was also a "good sign" that France and Germany - which opposed the US and British invasion of Iraq - were, together with Britain, striving to reach a diplomatic solution with Tehran.

"Iran has now been given a set of obligation that it's got to fulfil," he added. "I hope they fulfil it."