LONDON, May 12 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday he would support referring Iran's nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council if Iran violates its nuclear obligations.

    "We certainly will support referral to the United Nations Security Council if Iran breaches its obligations and undertakings," Blair told reporters in his first press conference in the Downing Street office following his Labor party won a historic third term in last week's elections that brought the Labor a reduced majority in Parliament.

    Iran announced on Tuesday that it plans to resume the conversion of raw uranium into gas within the next few days.

    Britain, France and Germany are acting on behalf of the 25-nation European Union in negotiations with Iran to seek its guarantees that it will not use its nuclear program to make weapons, as Washington suspects.

    Iran last year voluntarily halted enrichment -- a process that can produce nuclear reactor fuel and, when taken to a higher level,material for bombs -- to build confidence in negotiations with European powers and avoid UN Security Council referral for possible sanctions. Enditem