Scott
09-27-2009, 11:13 AM
GORDON Brown last night threatened to turn Iran into a world pariah over its bid to build a nuclear weapon.
The Prime Minister spoke out as he revealed how British spies helped uncover a secret weapons plant in Iran.
He accused the Tehran government of lying to the world for years and said Iran could become an international outcast - facing crippling sanctions on banks and energy production.
YouTube - Leaders Slam Iran Over Nuclear 'Deception'
He said: "Confronted by serial deception over many years, the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand.
"On October 1, Iran must engage with the international community and join it as a partner. If it doesn't do so, it will be further isolated."
Mr Brown, US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - in Pittsburgh for the G20 summit - put on a united front as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder to warn Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that enough was enough.
Mr Brown added: "The level of deception and the scale of what we believe is a breach of international commitments will shock and anger and harden our resolve.
"We will not let this matter rest and we are prepared to implement further and more stringent sanctions.
"Iran must abandon any military ambitions for its nuclear programme."
Spy chiefs believe Iran's secret mountain factory includes an underground chamber big enough to hold 3,000 centrifuges - used in uranium enrichment.
They fear Iran could create a nuclear bomb within a year - then produce enough highly-enriched uranium to build another every 12 months. MI6 agents played a key role in finding the plant, near the city of Qum, one of the holiest Shiite sites in the Middle East.
They helped breach Iranian military and government computer codes to intercept details of the programme.
American U2 spy planes based at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus also flew nightly missions to monitor activity.
A senior diplomat confir-med: "British intelligence officers played a very big role."
Government officials insist military action to smash the factory is NOT on the cards.
But Israel is known to be keen to act independently.
The Prime Minister spoke out as he revealed how British spies helped uncover a secret weapons plant in Iran.
He accused the Tehran government of lying to the world for years and said Iran could become an international outcast - facing crippling sanctions on banks and energy production.
YouTube - Leaders Slam Iran Over Nuclear 'Deception'
He said: "Confronted by serial deception over many years, the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand.
"On October 1, Iran must engage with the international community and join it as a partner. If it doesn't do so, it will be further isolated."
Mr Brown, US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - in Pittsburgh for the G20 summit - put on a united front as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder to warn Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that enough was enough.
Mr Brown added: "The level of deception and the scale of what we believe is a breach of international commitments will shock and anger and harden our resolve.
"We will not let this matter rest and we are prepared to implement further and more stringent sanctions.
"Iran must abandon any military ambitions for its nuclear programme."
Spy chiefs believe Iran's secret mountain factory includes an underground chamber big enough to hold 3,000 centrifuges - used in uranium enrichment.
They fear Iran could create a nuclear bomb within a year - then produce enough highly-enriched uranium to build another every 12 months. MI6 agents played a key role in finding the plant, near the city of Qum, one of the holiest Shiite sites in the Middle East.
They helped breach Iranian military and government computer codes to intercept details of the programme.
American U2 spy planes based at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus also flew nightly missions to monitor activity.
A senior diplomat confir-med: "British intelligence officers played a very big role."
Government officials insist military action to smash the factory is NOT on the cards.
But Israel is known to be keen to act independently.