Iran Threat "Very Serious"

View London:

Downing Street is taking the threat posed by Iran "very seriously", the prime minister's spokesman said yesterday. The comments came as the United Nations deadline calling on Tehran to cease uranium enrichment or face sanctions looms.

It also comes after Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared to threaten Israel, calling it a "fake regime" which should not exist.

Tony Blair's spokesman said yesterday: "I think everybody should read the Iranian President's comments, because once again it underlines that we have to take the situation very seriously.

"These are not actually remarks made by somebody without power, these are remarks repeatedly made now by the Iranian president.

"We all have to take very seriously the issues which are now before the UN and therefore take forward this issue with due seriousness.

"It seems logical that we should consider a Chapter 7 resolution under the security council's mandate." READ MORE

Iran has until Friday to comply with the UN demand.

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice also said Washington was perturbed by statements from Iran that it would consider sharing its nuclear data with other countries in the region.

Speaking in Greece, she said: "I suppose the Iranians can threaten, but they are deepening their own isolation."

Iran offered to share Iran's nuclear technology with other countries, and said it would freeze ties with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and accelerate its atomic programme if sanctions were imposed.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to transfer the experience, science and technology of its scientists."

He added: "Iran's nuclear capability is one example of various scientific capabilities in the country."

Chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said: "If you impose sanctions, Iran will suspend its relations with the agency.

"Suspension means we will accelerate our activities," he added.

Iran insists its nuclear research will be used for peaceful purposes.

The US and EU both disagree, citing decades of "lies" over the Islamic state's nuclear ambitions.