Miliband nuclear speech irks Iran

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7751984.stm

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Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the British ambassador over comments made by David Miliband on its nuclear ambitions, state media said.

The Foreign Secretary said Iran's nuclear programme was a threat to Middle East and world security.

Iran's state radio reported ambassador Geoffrey Adams was called in after the speech to Arab leaders.

Iran says its research is for civilian energy, but Western nations accuse it of seeking to develop a weapon.

Iran state radio reported Mr Miliband's comments had "tried to create differences with Persian Gulf states". Other state-run media also reported the summons.

A British diplomat said Mr Adams had gone to the ministry, at Iran's request on Monday, but gave no details of the discussion.

During his visit to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, Mr Miliband urged leaders to make clear they did not support Iran's nuclear ambitions.

In the speech to the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research in Abu Dhabi, Mr Miliband said Iran's regional neighbours needed to put more pressure on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.