British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent out a fresh appeal to Syria and Iran on Friday, urging them to become partners in the search for peace in the Middle East or face isolation on the world stage.
Speaking to Al-Jazeera's new English-language channel, Blair rejected as "completely absurd" suggestions that his readiness to work with Tehran and Damascus amounted to appeasement of two of the stated enemies of the United States.
But he said the "door was open" for both to play a constructive role in the push for peace in the wider region by giving up their support for terrorism and, in Iran's case, abiding by international obligations on nuclear proliferation.
"If you are prepared to be part of the solution there is a partnership available to you," Blair said, speaking to veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost in an interview recorded at the prime minister's official London residence.
"But at the moment -- and this is particularly so in respect of what Iran is doing in supporting terrorism through the Middle East and acting in breach of its nuclear weapons obligations -- you are behaving in such a way that makes such a partnership impossible."
Blair's appearance on Al-Jazeera is a major coup for the Qatar-based channel, which has been accused of anti-Western bias by the United States, particularly over the war in Iraq.
But it also comes at a time when the US-led coalition is examining its strategy in Iraq amid mounting violence there.
Blair's remarks restated those he made to the US Iraq Study Group on Tuesday, in a keynote address in London on Monday, and on previous occasions when asked about Iran's nuclear ambitions or Syria's support for Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Another indication of his intentions came earlier this month when he sent his most senior foreign policy advisor to Syria for talks with President Bashar al-Assad and other senior figures.
Blair told Al-Jazeera that, other than supporting democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan, progress on the Israel-Palestinian peace process would be the "most important thing" he can do in his remaining time in office.
"Nothing would have a greater symbolic importance" for Israelis and Palestinians and the whole world, said Blair, who visited Israel, the West Bank and Lebanon in September and intends to visit the region again by the year-end.
"It would send a signal to the whole of the world that this was not a battle between Westerners or Christians and Muslims but it was a battle between all those who believe in tolerance, in living together in harmony, in a non-sectarian future against those who want to divide us."
Elsewhere, Blair returned to a number of familiar themes in his foreign policy, including the need to empower the forces of moderate Islam against extremists who have a "warped and perverted" view of the religion.
But he came close to admitting that the US-led invasion of Iraq, that Britain backed amid widespread criticism, had been what Frost said had "so far been pretty much of a disaster".
"It has," Blair said, before adding quickly: "But you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq? It's not difficult because of some accident in planning.
"It's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy - al Qaeda with Sunni insurgents on one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militias on the other -- to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war."