Monday, October 10, 2005
Con Coughlin says the recent bit of candor on the part of Britain toward Iran's "unhelpful" behavior in southern Iraq was the somewhat unintended product of a loose-lipped diplomat. Mr. Straw would have liked to have continued his appeasement rhetoric, and may still get back to it.
Telegraph: Now we know the truth about Iran, we must act
For the past two years it has been a Foreign Office mantra that not a word should be uttered that could in any way be construed as criticising the Iranian government. Having voiced his last-minute opposition to the invasion of Iraq, Mr Straw had taken it upon himself to find a "negotiated solution" to the West's stand-off with Teheran over its clandestine nuclear programme as an alternative to military confrontation.
Indeed, when The Sunday Telegraph two weeks ago revealed that agents working for the Revolutionary Guards had linked up with the Iraqi groups responsible for the attacks on British troops, the Foreign Office continued to insist that there was no firm evidence.
But now the cat is out of the bag. Not realising the sensitivity that Mr Straw attaches to Britain's dealings with Teheran, the unfortunate diplomat unwittingly strayed from his referendum brief and started laying into the Iranians with a gusto not seen in the British diplomatic service for decades...
(via Regime Change Iran)
The truth comes out... oops.