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Hague Considers Tougher Sanctions Against Iran

Iran Enbassy

First Posted: 01/12/11 07:00 GMT Updated: 01/12/11 08:28 GMT   PA

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A ban on imports of Iranian oil could feature among tougher sanctions being pushed for by the UK amid an intense diplomatic storm over Monday's attack on the British Embassy in Tehran.

Foreign Secretary William Hague will discuss punitive measures with European Union counterparts a day after ordering the closure of Iran's London embassy and the expulsion of its staff.

The move came in retaliation for what Mr Hague said was the regime-backed storming of the UK compound by protesters, in breach of the Vienna Convention. Its staff have been evacuated and the embassy closed.

Announcing the move to MPs on Wednesday, Mr Hague said Tehran should be "ashamed" of the violent protest which saw union flags hauled down, a vehicle torched and looted documents thrown from windows.

It was conducted by about 200 demonstrators from an organisation "controlled by elements of the Iranian regime", he told MPs, and had made it "impossible" for the UK to maintain a presence.

Germany, France and the Netherlands recalled their ambassadors for discussions over their own future relations and Italy indicated that it could follow suit.

The latest developments in Iran will be on the agenda when EU Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels on Thursday.

The Iranian Foreign Minister has apologised for the incident.

But Mr Hague insisted: "No difficulty in relations can ever excuse in any way or under any circumstances the failure to protect diplomatic staff and diplomatic premises."

He made clear that while relations had not been severed entirely, they had been reduced to "the lowest level consistent with the maintenance of diplomatic relations".

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A ban on imports of Iranian oil could feature among tougher sanctions being pushed for by the UK amid an intense diplomatic storm over Monday's attack on the British Embassy in Tehran. Foreign Secr...
A ban on imports of Iranian oil could feature among tougher sanctions being pushed for by the UK amid an intense diplomatic storm over Monday's attack on the British Embassy in Tehran. Foreign Secr...
 
 
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blujag
25 Fans
08:36 PM on 12/01/2011
That will be the fuel going up then, if we don't buy their oil. Why don't we just invade them or bomb them out of existance like we usually do. They don't happen to have a proper army and a nuclear bomb by any chance.
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alshahab
2 Fans
10:08 AM on 12/02/2011
blujag, a better suggestion would to blow our ownselves out of existence. maybe this will teach the iranians a lesson because they will have no customers left to buy their oil.
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flumeinsummer
22 Fans
05:19 PM on 12/01/2011
What's he going to do? Stop buying that camel dung hair restorer, that should hit them in the pocket! Ho Ho!
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Smith14P
35 Fans
 
05:16 PM on 12/01/2011
How can anyone take the little gnome seriously? he is a joke to English politics plus a failed leader.
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Beeem
20 Fans
05:14 PM on 12/01/2011
Nice to see the government getting tough at last. I think we've long been regarded in the international community as a soft touch.
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altohone
959 Fans
04:33 PM on 12/01/2011
Not severed entirely.
That is the funny part.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
04:31 PM on 12/01/2011
Anything is acceptable apart from another war. Enough young people and families have suffered.
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what about the kids
31 Fans
04:13 PM on 12/01/2011
That's it'
*
No more Bacon Sale for Iran anymore....that'll show em
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
04:33 PM on 12/01/2011
Wrong,
I would send bacon to every Iranian in Iran, image their faces when they opened the parcel to find half a dozen stinking bacon rashers, great.
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concodtob
16 stone athlete and intellectual
234 Fans
03:34 PM on 12/01/2011
There is a cold war going on between the US,UK and China.China can not survive without oil and Africa and the Middle east have plenty of it.China's reliance on oil will grow massivelly over the coming years.The US know that China can not sustain it's massive economic growth without the lifeblood of all developed and developing economies and that's oil.

China had substantial economic ties with oil-rich Libya,Nato with the help of the Libyan rebels helped to dipose Gaddafi and his regime because of China's growing economic interests there.Now Nato which is dominated by the US and it' mouthpiece the uk have scuppered this and the Libyan's are now indebted and friendly to Nato.

China and Iran have close economic ties including oil and gasoline contracts.The plan by the US and the west is to try to force China to sanction Iran by using the nuclear weapon development argument.Again the plan is to scupper China's economic interest's in Iran.The US and the UK would love for Iranians to rise up against the hated Ahmadinejad regime and facilitate another Libya scenario.

The plan is to control and curtail China's rise and keep the US as the top-dog in the world.Oil will be used as a weapon against China via diplomacy,sanctions,engineered revolutions,and limited military force,but no actual conflict with China hense the term "Cold war"
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fairness6
326 Fans
03:31 PM on 12/01/2011
Iran is a large country (7x Britain's land area) of 80 million people with a very rich and proud imperial past. The West shouldn't expect this huge country that borders 7 countries to behave just like the insignificant sheikdoms of the Gulf just because it is in the Middle East and it has oil. It deserves better respect.

The countries of the West have to accept that the world has changed and it's changing very fast. They have to shed the arrogance of their colonial past and change with the times -- like changing the composition of UN Security Council to reflect the actual political realities of our current world. Otherwise, the residents of this planet Earth will experience severe challenging times when the emerging economic powers like China, India and Brazil start asserting themselves seeking their proper place in the limelight.
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Lowa
4 Fans
03:30 PM on 12/01/2011
William Hague is acting properly? Like a chancellor is a zero to the left: worse than former FS D. Miliband.
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Roger Arbroath
7 Fans
03:17 PM on 12/01/2011
As we are a bankrupt country, or so we are being told, then how can we afford to keep waging war on other countries?

Iraq, Afganistan, Libya and next Iran? Can we not get our petrol by peaceful means?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
04:37 PM on 12/01/2011
We are not, or I hope we are not waging war with Iran, merely imposing financial sactions, good enough for them, respect begets respect, aka when they show some to the west I am sure it will be reciprocated.
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freddiefoden
13 Fans
02:50 PM on 12/01/2011
War is just a date in the diary ! recession,world unrest,War .
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Neesagon
72 Fans
02:48 PM on 12/01/2011
Oh dear, I really, really don't feel happy about William Hague being our Foreign Minister.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
04:37 PM on 12/01/2011
Rather him than sillybrand
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Catman1967
Your micro-bio is empty
21 Fans
02:43 PM on 12/01/2011
too bad it wasn't an American Embassy. The 200 "demonstrators" would have most likely met the wrath of the USMC.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
857 Fans
03:04 PM on 12/01/2011
I remember the last time our diplomats met Iranian protestors; it didn't end well for our people, who spent .  USMC are supposed to protect the embassy as a last measure to get diplomats away, but 52 were held capitve for over a year.  I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Hague is right in one respect:  The primary responsibility for protection lies with the home country.

Hague made a critical mistake in the banking/lending matter; he escalated without international support in place.  Expelling their diplomats was a reasonable and measured response to the violation of the UK embassy and the failure of Iranian troops to protect it. To escalate again by banning Iranian oil is unfathomable and will cost the UK taxpayers who are already squeezed. 

Acting tough is only worth it if you're willing to fight over violation of embassy property.  Yes, it's a huge issue, but worth a fight?  UK has had military cutbacks, can't control its own borders so homegrown terrorism is a serious issue, has troops in Afghanistan and Libya, and a huge budget problem.  Their own citizens are being asked to fund too many things that make the pols and their friends rich.  Military action against Iran would be, in these circumstances, irresponsible and could already inflame anger against the UK government among their own citizens.  To quote an old movie, 'Someone's got to turn this off' and apparently no UK pol wants to.
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qsim abbas
0 Fans
02:28 PM on 12/01/2011
Mr Hague said Tehran should be "ashamed" of the violent protest which saw union flags hauled down
what about Pakistan what kind of actions should they be taking for American for killing 25 solders.
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