In a keynote speech in London, Blair said Tehran’s strategy was simple: to deflect pressure from the West over its nuclear plans — which Washington suspects are a cover for developing atomic weapons — it was helping extremists in Lebanon, Iraq, and in the Palestinian territories.
“It is a perfectly straightforward and clear strategy. It will only be defeated by an equally clear one,” he said.
Under this, the West should “offer Iran a clear strategic choice: they help the Middle East peace process not hinder it; they stop supporting terrorism in Lebanon or Iraq; they abide by, not flout, their international obligations.
“In that case, a new partnership is possible. Or alternatively they face the consequences of not doing so: isolation,” he said.
Blair’s speech came a day before he is due to give video-link evidence to the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan panel led by former US secretary of state James Baker, which is looking at current coalition policy in Iraq.
The British leader’s testimony to the panel will come a day after Bush’s appearance before the experts on Monday.
Speaking ahead of his testimony, Bush also warned the Iranians.
“It’s very important for the world to unite with one common voice to say to the Iranians that, if you choose to continue forward, you’ll be isolated,” he said. “There has to be a consequence for their intransigeance.”