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Brown warns Iran of investment sanctions Andrew Porter Gordon Brown has stepped up the pressure on Iran by warning that sanctions would soon be placed on oil and gas companies and financiers wanting to invest there. In his first major foreign policy speech, the Prime Minister warned Iran that it had to comply with non-proliferation rules on nuclear weapons or face further consequences. He once again refused to rule out military intervention. He also urged Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to release political prisoners immediately and lift restrictions on the media, but stopped short of calling for Commonwealth action to be taken against the country.
In a speech to the Lord Mayor's Banquet in London, Mr Brown said: "Iran has a choice - confrontation with the international community leading to a tightening of sanctions or, if it changes its approach and ends support for terrorism, a transformed relationship with the world." Unless there were "positive outcomes" from negotiations, "we will lead in seeking tougher sanctions at the UN and in the European Union". He added: "Iran should be in no doubt about our seriousness of purpose." Meanwhile, The United Nations should set up a standby force of police and judges that could be dropped into failing states to help rebuild communities, says Gordon Brown.
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