Foreign affairs: Hague praises 'most important ally' after US talks with Clinton

Mr Hague, MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, hailed the "unbreakable alliance" between Britain and the USA following talks with Mrs Clinton in Washington, his first trip abroad since being appointed to head the Foreign Office on Tuesday.

The former Tory leader welcomed President Barack Obama's description of the "extraordinary special relationship" between the two countries.

In turn his American counterpart said she and the Obama administration was looking forward to "working with the new British Government".

The remarks were made during a joint Press conference following talks dominated by Afghanistan, Iran and the economic crisis in the eurozone.

Mrs Clinton said Mr Hague had reaffirmed Britain's commitment to working with the international community and the Afghan people to achieve long-term stability in the country.

And she said: "The US is deeply appreciative of the British

contribution in Afghanistan and we honour the sacrifices of the British service members who serve their country with such distinction overseas."

Both added they were "firmly committed" to the Nato mission and support the efforts of Afghan President Hamid Karzai - who is due to visit the UK today for talks with David Cameron.

The visit will be critical for the new Prime Minister, who had warned in a visit to Afghanistan in December, while still in opposition, that time was running out for the Nato operation, though he insisted there should be no timetables for the withdrawal of British troops.

Mr Hague saved his toughest language for Iran, stating that Britain would "work solidly alongside the United States" in seeking a United Nations Security Council resolution against Iran and would lobby EU allies to adopt sanctions if Tehran failed to respond.

"We will do everything we can as a new Government in Britain to persuade our partners in Europe that it will be necessary to show Europe's determination to take many similar steps to those taken by the US to intensify the peaceful pressure on Iran," said the Foreign Secretary.

"I have long advocated that the EU should adopt financial sanctions of the kind the US has implemented."

Mr Hague said the stand-off with Iran would require "persistence, determination and united strength" from the international community, and said he was also ready to use the threat of force.

"We have never ruled out supporting in the future military action, but we are not calling for it," he said. "It is precisely because we want to see this matter settled peacefully and rapidly that we call for sanctions and we support the idea of a Security Council resolution."

Mrs Clinton said Britain and the US remain "united in our insistence that Iran fulfil its international obligations and prove its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only".

The Foreign Secretary also expressed his "firm and full support" for US calls for Israel and Palestinians to come together for talks to relaunch the Middle East peace process.

And he said the new Government would play an "active and activist role in the EU from the very beginning".

On the change in Government in Britain, Mrs Clinton said she had "absolutely no concerns whatsoever" about the stability of the new coalition leadership.