DUBAI, Dec 20: Britain's Tony Blair on Wednesday accused Iran of being an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and urged moderate countries in the region to form an alliance to oppose its support for extremism.

Speaking to local and British business leaders in Dubai, the prime minister made his strongest criticism yet of Tehran, which the West fears wants to build nuclear weapons and suspects supports militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

“We must recognise the strategic challenge the government of Iran poses, not its people, not possibly all of its ruling elements but those presently in charge of its policy,” he said.

“They seek to pin us back in Lebanon, in Iraq, in Palestine. Our response should be to expose what they are doing, build up alliances to prevent it and pin them back across the whole of the region.”

Blair's comments came as he wound up a region-wide tour that has taken him to Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

At each turn, he has stressed the need for those who believe in democracy and modernisation to come together against those who foment reaction and extremism.—AFP