''Regardless of the foreign policies of the United States, hostility to Iran is not in Britain's national interest. A constructive engagement with Iran offers many possibilities for progress,'' the Conservative Muslim Forum said in a new report.

Britain's main opposition Conservative Party has been advised by its Muslim wing to adopt a realistic policy of engaging with Iran rather than scaremongering.

"Regardless of the foreign policies of the United States, hostility to Iran is not in Britain's national interest. A constructive engagement with Iran offers many possibilities for progress," the Conservative Muslim Forum said in a new report.

The Forum was formally responding to a wide-ranging national and international policy paper drawn up in July for the consideration of a future Conservative government in the UK.

The paper described Iran as a 'potential threat' to British vital interests, but the Muslim wing said that the Islamic Republic had "many legitimate security concerns, being surrounded by, what are to them, potentially hostile powers."

"Instead of joining the United States in demonising Iran, Britain should assist Iran in addressing these legitimate security concerns in a manner that improves our security rather than weakening it," it advised.

In response to US-led demands for Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme, the forum said that there was "no legal basis for denying Iran civilian nuclear research once the safeguard issues under dispute with the IAEA are resolved."

"Given Iran's position in the Middle East, facing a nuclear armed Israel, Iran appears to have legitimate reasons for seeking nuclear weapons for defensive purposes," it warned.

Its advice to an incoming Conservative government was that its "primary goal should be assisting in the strengthening of Iranian state institutions to avoid any risk of the transfer of nuclear technology to non state actors."

The response to the 204-page policy paper also including a warning that the "unqualified support given to Israel by the current Government is not conducive to British national interests." "Britain's interests would be better served by forceful diplomatic pressure on Israel in order to press her to withdraw from the occupied territories and negotiate seriously for a two state solution," the Conservative Muslim Forum said.

"In all our dealings with Israel, we must always remember the plight of displaced Palestinians," it advised the Conservative leadership. --IRNA

Source: Mathaba News

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