LONDON- British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt, giving evidence to a House of Lords Select Committee regarding Iran's nuclear programme, has warned that the country already has weapons which could hit British forces in Cyprus and Afghanistan, and was now seeking to acquire the nuclear bomb.
Burt also highlighted concern over Iran's missile programme after Prime Minister David Cameron said last week it appeared to be seeking an intercontinental ballistic missile force in the Middle East with 200-300 medium range missiles, including the Shabab 3 that has been tested to hit targets at a distance of 2,000 km.
''To put this into perspective, Cyprus and UK troops in Afghanistan fall within that range with Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia,'' he said.
Iran, he concluded, is taking a ''grave risk'' if it does not end its banned nuclear programme and show the world it is not seeking to acquire the bomb.
He said UK authorities were on alert for possible terrorist activity of Iranian agents against British targets. (CNAO