Iran is where Britain was 100 years or so ago, ruled by religious and self righteous people. They just need time to step out of their medieval present. This will happen given time, when the old guard die of natural causes and the younger generation, pushed on by their womenfolk sick of being treated like second class citizens burst free from their fear of oppression. Iran is not going to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century overnight. Leave them alone, they'll get where the majority of their people want to be eventually.

To add to my previous comment, it seems to be a standard policy of smug religeous leaders to lash out first with low personal jibes like the comment from their supreame leader about Britain being the route of all evil or something. The U.S. and UK attemp to extend a hand of peace and this is the return that is given. I'm not sure what can be said about that?

children children,

if we just ignore them they'll get bored and go away. admittedly with a thief at the helm, but it won't be the first or last time we will allow that and it isn't for us to meddle with. we have to learn to pick our fights better, we're getting very bloodied out there.

The Iranian government was a dictatorship under the Shah and then the Ayatollah who passed away, now it is an oligarchy.

The ruling elite are medieval Islamists bent on war. They have been funding insurgents in Iraq, Pakistan, Afganistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Eygpt, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.
The message is simple, Islam or death, wear a Hijab, or death. There tactics are those of the Mafia, and the Dictators of the past like Saddam Hussain, Hitler and Stalin, and the N. Vietnamise. To terrorise all opposition with absolute clarity, oppose us and you will die.
What is there to discuss? Why aren't the Western governments leveling with us? We don't want to die of radiation poising or nuclear bombs. Their first duty is our protection, and they are failing. This weakness is emboldening dictators worldwide in Burma, Hugo Chavex in Venezuela, Zelaya in Honduras, the cruel Oligarchy in North Korea and to some extent China, who don't believe in democracy.

Britain didnt persade the EU-It was sweeden the czechs the french and the germans were all calling for a join approach against iran. After all it was bashing all of europe not just britain. The rest of europe then declared solidarity with britain in demanding that the british embassy staff should be released. British goverments have unfortenetly for europe never reallyy tried to lead europe through- change things yes, stop actions from being taken yes, but lead europe - no. It has never lead the drive for reform in the EU,has never lead europe in common responses, even though it has one of the biggest voting powers in the EU,- maybe Britains content to leave france and germany do the leading? Maybe the british goverments just couldnt be bothered? Or maybe they prefer getting the help of the US? Or then again maybe its not the british goverments fault- Most countries dont like to leave the important things in britain because there is so much antiEUism its actually unstable. I think Britain could do a good job if it lead a common EU approach to some thing or if it tried to bring in reforms- but it has never really tried. And as for the EUs response to Russias invasion of Georgia- not a single member state has recognised the break away regions of georgia and besides Italys disagreement and some worry on the part of ex soviet members, the EU president did a fantastic job in Russia. The US stood silently fuming about to nuke at any moment while the EU president flew in and watched over the leaders of both sides as they reluclantly singed the treaty. The disunity wasnt as bad as you make out at all. In fact it was fairly good unity. Russia definetly didnt seem to notice any disssunity any way.

Britain didnt persade the EU-It was sweeden the czechs the french and the germans were all calling for a join approach against iran. After all it was bashing all of europe not just britain. The rest of europe then declared solidarity with britain in demanding that the british embassy staff should be released. British goverments have unfortenetly for europe never reallyy tried to lead europe through- change things yes, stop actions from being taken yes, but lead europe - no. It has never lead the drive for reform in the EU,has never lead europe in common responses, even though it has one of the biggest voting powers in the EU,- maybe Britains content to leave france and germany do the leading? Maybe the british goverments just couldnt be bothered? Or maybe they prefer getting the help of the US? Or then again maybe its not the british goverments fault- Most countries dont like to leave the important things in britain because there is so much antiEUism its actually unstable. I think Britain could do a good job if it lead a common EU approach to some thing or if it tried to bring in reforms- but it has never really tried. And as for the EUs response to Russias invasion of Georgia- not a single member state has recognised the break away regions of georgia and besides Italys disagreement and some worry on the part of ex soviet members, the EU president did a fantastic job in Russia. The US stood silently fuming about to nuke at any moment while the EU president flew in and watched over the leaders of both sides as they reluclantly singed the treaty. The disunity wasnt as bad as you make out at all. In fact it was fairly good unity. Russia definetly didnt seem to notice any disssunity any way.

Alot of Iranians are incredibly well educated and do not support the religious nuts that rule the country, unfortuntely when someone is pointing a gun at you and telling you to do something it is far easier to say 'ok i will do it' so whether as a country we let this go on or support the people who genuinely want a democratic society, so unfortunately we have in the past set the standards for ourselves so will be obliged to help if asked, so no we cannot leave them 'alone' not while they are frankly alot of them are religious nuts, and lets face it cutting all ties with Iran when they are the largest oil exporter will be interesting to watch, as much as i dislike religious nutters who are frankly beyond help they do actually have something we want, role on a self sufficiency

Why do we need any 'relationship' with Iran at all.
Nukes are easily available to them(instructions on the web) and they have immense wealth so producing them would not be a problem ,if they haven't already so we might as well sit back and let the Israeli's do whatever they feel like doing knowing it won't be some heinious hidious torture like waving a pork chop at them that will have us (the western nations)condemend as evil wicked infidels.

Iran needs to shut its mouth and grow up, and we could maybe be more supportive, although we should always defend the innocents first, our media have made a blunder here, I was reading it all and compared to the riots in China recently, the reportive nature of the articles was bias against Iran but with China it is a lot more respective of that Nation. (Maybe lesson learned, but it seems more aggressive against Iran)

From the day our people settled on these lands others have always tried to dominate this tiny Island, they think we dont pack a punch because of our small size, If they think they can scare us after all the horribles that have happened on this island LOL they better re-think their pointing finger tactics at the smallest concerned country, because we will bite back with a ball crunching bite if they even attempt to hurt our people. Bring it on, but without doubt just shut up and be normal !!

Have to say, this is probably the best comment I have seen ..

Any nation founded on religeon is a primitive one. Primitives always take an aggresive stance toward criticism, thinking they know best and no-one has the right to question them is what they do. If, like most religeous people, they will not hear criticism then they are not worthy of addressing.