President Bush should not raise stakes on Iran

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 29th Aug 2007

Iran flag

US President Bush gave warning last night that Iran's pursuit of the atomic bomb could lead to a nuclear holocaust in the Middle East, and promised to confront Tehran "before it is too late". Mr Bush's remarks, the starkest warning that he has made about Iran's nuclear ambitions, came hours after President Ahmadinejad of Iran said that a power vacuum was imminent in Iraq and that Tehran was ready to fill it. Although Mr Ahmadinejad revels in making provocative statements, his latest remarks will increase the fears in Washington and among its moderate Sunni allies in the region that an Iranian-dominated Iraq would trigger a regional war between Sunnis and Shias.

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ming Campbell said "The last thing we need is for a president with less than 18 months to go to be raising the stakes on Iran. He should remember the advice of James Baker that it is not appeasement to talk to your enemies and that stability in Iraq will depend on cooperation from all of the countries in the region, including Iran and Syria. We don't need a last neocon flourish from President Bush as he exits the White House."