DPA
London, June 16 (DPA) The US and Britain said Monday they would continue the dialogue with Iran over its nuclear programme but also warned that sanctions would be intensified if Tehran continued its hard line over the issue. “Our message to Iran is: You do not have to choose the path of confrontation,” said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown after talks with US President George W Bush in London.

“My first choice is to solve this diplomatically,” Bush said about the conflict with Iran.

Brown said Britain wanted to do “everything possible” to maintain dialogue with Tehran.

“But we are also clear that if Iran continues to ignore (United Nations) resolutions, to ignore our offers of partnership, we have no choice but to intensify sanctions,” said Brown.

However, Britain would urge Europe to impose “further sanctions” on Iran, starting with the freezing of overseas assets of Iran’s state-owned bank, Melli, said Brown.
DPA