The government yesterday denied that Iran was "next on the list" of countries the Coalition intends to invade after it has finished in Iraq. "We have absolutely no intention of invading Iran, just like we had no intention of invading Iraq," explained the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in the Commons. "However, the Iranian government must look carefully at both the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and its nuclear programme, if it wants to avoid an invasion that we have no intention of carrying out."
The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband MP, also moved to quash fears of an imminent invasion. "There is no list and Iran is not next on it," he told journalists at a press conference. "North Korea is, Iran comes after that."
Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has meanwhile told friends that he will resign from the government if Britain invades Iran, North Korea, Syria or any other country. Military analysts say that an invasion could take place within weeks, but with some aircraft carriers and troops already heading home Iran may, unlike Mr Benn, be safe, for now.
The Iranian government was said to be pleased that the country did not face military attack in the near future but tripled its orders for enriched uranium, sand bags and anti-aircraft guns "just in case".
An attempt to sign the former Iraqi Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, to front press briefings in the event of conflict has, however, run into difficulties. As Mr Saeed al-Sahraf is contracted to Abu Dhabi Television for 10 episodes of "Al-Sahhaf's War, Saddam and My Part in his Downfall."
