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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Rice urges Arabs to isolate Iran
2006-02-19
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged reluctant Arab nations on Friday to threaten to isolate Iran unless it bows to international pressure to curb its suspected nuclear weapons programmes. Her appeal to Iran’s neighbours came before she visits Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates next week to lobby them to join a US campaign against Iran, which has won increasing support from Europe, Russia and China. “I would hope that those states that are worried about this are prepared to really say to the Iranians: ‘You are going to be isolated from us too if you continue down this road,’” Rice said in an interview with Arab-based media about her planned talks on the trip. “There is really now an obligation to let the Iranians know in no uncertain terms that this isolation is going to be complete,” she added.

As part of a strategy to woo Arab nations with a message she hopes resonates with them, Rice also highlighted US concerns Iran is destabilising the region by backing militant groups in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Arab governments have expressed concern about IranÂ’s nuclear ambitions. But they are generally wary of giving explicit support to any US policies when many in the region are angry at what they see as anti-Muslim American policies because of the Iraq war and perceived pro-Israel stances against Palestinians.
Posted by:Fred

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