Introduction
The Middle East is known as one crucial region of the globe which come up with many considerations. It is the one unfortunate reality of today that the specific region of Middle East in recent years going through with many forms of tensions and conflicts. There is the evidence of many domestic and international causes which can be characterized as the reason for the increasing form of bloodshed and dispute in the Middle East. The development and advancement of the nuclear technology in the region is the one major concern of the international stakeholders as it can cause the acceleration of tension in the specific area of Middle East (Denza, 2005). The role of Iran in the whole scenario of the nuclear development and establishment in the Middle East cannot be ignored.
Iran is considered as the major factor of creating the situation of imbalance by initiating the idea of the nuclear program. Many countries at international scale fear that adaptability and implication of the nuclear features by Iran ultimately increase the facet of hate which prevails between the different countries of middle-East. It is anticipated that the step of the nuclear expansion from Iran ultimately leads the world to the disastrous of nuclear war. The international organization of the United Nation and many developed countries are immensely concerned about the burning issue of peace deterioration and the facet of the nuclear program initiated by Iran. International stakeholders want to resolve the issue through the effective communication and effective of diplomacy (Bruno, 2010).
The particular focus is to convince Iran about the consideration of the international peace and the feature of regional peace. It is notable to mention that the inflexible behavior from Iran turned the prospect of the nuclear program as the international crisis which needs to be resolved on the immediate basis to avoid drastic implications. The severity of the relationship between Iran and the international patrons demands to consider it as the one major issue and take necessary steps to effectively address the issue. The aim of this research paper is to assess the prospect of Iran’s nuclear program with the consideration of its strategic implications on the world.
Historical Background of Iran’s Nuclear Program
It is crucial to explore the brief history of the particular nuclear program initiated by Iran to attain the form of power and authority in the region. Iran started taking interest in the establishment and the advancement of the nuclear technology in the 1950s. The facet of the nuclear program is country got its foundations when the government of the United States of America provides the technical aid to the Shah of Iran. Atoms for Peace program provides the essential and the starting approach to the country of Iran to take interest in the advancement of the nuclear technology. It is crucial to indicate that this assistance program between U.S. and Iran ended after the revolution of Iran in 1979 but the country still wants to expand its facet of nuclear technology and development.
The turning point about the initiative of the nuclear program of Iran particularly related to the extensive form of fuel cycle which was adopted by Iran. The aim of the country was to consider different features of sophisticated enrichment capabilities under the paradigm of the fuel cycle. The developments of the nuclear technology in case of Iran become the reason for the different sorts of international negotiations and sanctions on Iran. The objective of these particular sanctions between the years of 2002 and 2015 is to regulate the facet of nuclear technology in case of Iran. The particular phenomenon of negotiations between the P5 Plus one and Iran comes with the consideration of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015. The particular feature related to this action plan is the nuclear agreement for the 25-years (Kerr, 2014). The objective of this agreement is to restrict the country of Iran from the nuclear expansion in exchange for relief for the country from different sanctions imposed by international stakeholders.
Due to the particular agreement, Iran significantly dismisses plenty of uranium-enriching centrifuges with the inclusion of the form of low-enriched uranium to Russia. Iran also demolishes the feature of heavy water reactor which was the reason of the tons of plutonium. The country of Iran ensures the feature of reconfigures the reactor with the consideration of the less productivity of the plutonium (Goldschmidt, 2010). The agreement of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) also ensures the limit the capacity of Iran concerning to the nuclear advancement. The country of Iran comes with the assurance to never exceed the present range of the nuclear technology for at least ten years.
The agreement under the paradigm of JCPOA was dismissed after the existence of the controversy in case of Iran’s nuclear program. In 2002, international community immensely focuses on the development of the nuclear technology adopted by Iran. It was all started with the feature if the two particular nuclear sites which provide indications about the displaced Iranian resistance group. The specific dispute related to Iran’s nuclear program started when the international community comes with the realization that Iran had built or was building all the elements related to the generation of the enriched form of uranium (Toft, 2005). That particular development adopted by Iran considered as the particular approach in the provision of the nuclear weapons and also the facet of the nuclear reactors.
Undoubtedly, it was the major concern for the world as it can be considered as the initiative taken by Iran to disturb the balance of the region by applying the advanced form of nuclear technology. The specific sites of nuclear development in Iran were explored as the uranium mine at Saghand, a nuclear plant near the area of Ardakan. Uranium enrichment plant at Natanz was another feature of threat related to Iran’s nuclear program for which different countries have their reservations. The different forms of nuclear exposures hide by Iran make the organization of IAEA is vigilant about the features of responsibilities and assessment related to the nuclear program adopted by the country. It is considered as the responsibility of the organization of IAEA to critically monitor and verify the nuclear-related activities adopted by Iran.
For many years, Iran maintained its particular nuclear program as the form of the legal and authorized facet with the consideration of the membership as the one non-nuclear weapon country under the paradigm of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The focus of the country was to establish its nuclear program as the peaceful paradigm without the risk or any kind of threat for the region and for the world in the broader perspective. As the member of the NPT, Iran comes with the consideration to develop the feature of nuclear energy for the sake of peaceful objectives (Squassoni, 2005). The overall feature of the nuclear program in case of Iran impact by the reservation raise by the United States of America. The government of US comes with the argument that there is no need of the application of nuclear program in case of Iran as it only involves the intention of the destruction in the specific form of different nuclear weapons. The particular concern of the United States of America makes Iran’s nuclear program as the one crucial issue which needs to be addressed to maintain the effective approach to peace in the region.
In 2003, the issue of Iranian nuclear program accelerated as the tracks of nuclear power was kept secret by the country and never consider the aspect of IAEA agreement. The government of Iran fails to provide necessary evidence related to the elements of transactions and different nuclear activities. It is notable to mention that the government of the country was firmed about their nuclear activities and consider it as their right to attain the facility of the nuclear technology to safeguard their country. The U.S. government tried to convince Iran to give up its nuclear program to maintain the prospect of necessary peace in the region but Iranian government sticks to its aggressive attitude towards its nuclear program.
NPT Obligations and Iran
Undoubtedly, nuclear weapons are the immense form of threat to the whole world. World community tries to take different necessary measures to maintain the peace prospect. Engagement of all the countries is crucial to sustain the feature of peace and avoid the different forms of destructions. The particular form of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the one influential effort to develop the effective framework to address the issue of security around the world. The focus of this particular treaty is to restrict countries from the unfair establishment of the nuclear technology. Iran was also the member of this international agreement but deviate from the agreement with the development of the nuclear resources. The particular steps of nuclear development by Iran ultimately increase the strategic threat for the region and for the whole world. Regional stability is affected by the particular nuclear program initiated and sustained by Iran (Bowen & Brewer, 2011). The particular agreement between Iran and the United States of America might hinder the prospect of the nuclear program in case of Iran but there is much evidence that she has the potential and urge to again start its nuclear program which is problematic for the whole world.
The world is still unable to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear program as the country believe that it is their right to adopt the feature of nuclear energy which comes up with the intention of peace and benefit for all. The country of Iran comes with the argument that it is their right to approach the paradigm of peaceful nuclear technology. She is also ready to ensure the features of ‘three Ss’ which can be identified in the form of proper facilities related to the operation, necessary security of all the facilities and the facet of materials. The country of Iran has the stance that it is their legal right to take necessary measures related to the feature of nuclear technology. The government of the country also come up with the consideration that the enrichment of uranium is not something which can lead to the development of the nuclear weapons. Despite the argument presented by Iran, it is the reality that all the existing indicators are going against Iran’s presented approach. There is the major difference between the ground realities and the point of view raise by Iran about the matter of the nuclear program.
Implications of Iran’s Nuclear Program on Regional Stability
It is crucial to critically identify and assess different implications which might face by the region in case of the continuation of the Iranian nuclear program. The feature of the nuclear program in case of Iran has the long history which going through with different forms of development. The prospect of the nuclear program started with the collaboration of Iran and United States of America when the U.S. provides necessary technical assistance to Iran. This form of cooperation between these two countries ended due to the prospect of Pahlavi. After that time, all the governments of the United States of America follow the powerful stance in case of diplomacy with Iran. The relationship between America and Iran are affected due to the feature of the nuclear program adopted by the country of Iran (Goldschmidt, 2009). Relationships between following countries become so worse that Iran declares the country of America as their number one enemy. Different unpleasant events also occurred time to time which enhances the tension between these two nations. Making hostage of diplomats of the U.S. Embassy in Iran was the one example which indicates the adverse diplomatic relationship between these two countries.
The implication of Iran’s nuclear program can also observe in case of Iran-Iraq relationship. The feature of war between these two countries ultimately affects the feature of Iran’s nuclear program. Iraq frequently bombed the different nuclear installations establish by Iran to destroy the paradigm of Iran’s nuclear program. Another particular approach which is the witness in case of the nuclear program of Iran is that Israel also attacks nuclear plants of the country of Iran. The adoption of the nuclear program by Iran ultimately become the reason for the dispute and conflict in the region of Middle-East. Each nation wants to sustain its hold in the region by attaining more and more power. It is also notable to mention that the first Gulf War of 1991 also plays a major role in Iran’s stance over the establishment of the nuclear program. After the war, country of Iran come up with the approach that she only can sustain its better position in the region with the facet of credible deterrence and self-defense. The nation of Iran was completely convinced that only the development of the effective nuclear program can ensure the stability of Iran in the region.
Another crucial aspect of regional politics which significantly impacts the establishment of Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. sustain its strong position in the region by maintaining the effective relationship with Saudi Arabia which ultimately threatens the position of Iran in the region. It is another crucial and critical factor which encourage Iran to focus its nuclear program and take necessary measures to make the strong position with the help of the nuclear power. Iran wants to establish credible security feature in order to protect from the regional threats. Iran successfully attains strategic partners in the form of China and Russia which provides necessary nuclear assistance to Iran. Chine provides the effective form of Uranium conversion to the Iran which helps the nation to effectively establish the feature of the nuclear program. Iran also becomes able to contract with Russia in 1995 to get nuclear aid for one of its crucial nuclear plant.
The declaration of Islamic revolution by Iran also make immensely conscious America about the nuclear program of Iran. The country of the United States of America is immensely concerned about Iran’s nuclear program as it is perceived as the major threat for the country of Israel and the economic and strategic interest of America in the region of Middle-East. This particular form of concern of America appears due to the behavior of Iranian leadership against the strategic interests of America and Israel. The Iranian government openly threatens the existence of Israel and America referring to the establishment and the development of the nuclear program which ultimately leads to the adverse and dangerous form of nuclear weapons.
All the countries of middle-East also concern about Iran’s nuclear program as they consider it as the threat for the prospect of peace in case of the whole world. Saudi Arabia and all the GCC countries have the strong stance over the feature of Russian technology which was applied by Iran to enhance its facet of the nuclear program. The government of Saudi Arabia also show its concern time to time. They come up with the concern that although Iran does not have potential to threaten Saudi Arabia the country of Iran should consider the peace prospect for the whole world. It is the duty of Iran to consider the concerns of all the stakeholders and take necessary measures to ensure the facet of world peace. The most crucial prospect associated with Iran’s nuclear program is that it is not acceptable for Israel and America at any cost. America considers all the possible options to restrict Iran from the development of the nuclear program or the feature of the nuclear weapon as it can be the major threat to the sustainability of the many countries.
Conclusion
To conclude the debate about the strategic implications of Iran’s nuclear program, it is crucial to mention that many stakeholders actively involved in the overall prospect of this particular issue. Countries have their own interests to favor or oppose the paradigm of nuclear program and establishment of the nuclear weapons by Iran. It is crucial for the international community to critically consider all the factors of risks which associated with the paradigm of Iran’s nuclear program. There should be the establishment of the necessary measures which ensures the facet of peace in case of all the countries. There should be the adaptability of the comprehensive strategy which addresses the issue of security in case of Iran and with the prospect of the peace interest of the whole region.
References
Bowen, W. Q., & Brewer, J. (2011). Iran’s nuclear challenge: nine years and counting. International Affairs, 87(4), 923–943.
Bruno, G. (2010). Iran’s nuclear program. Council on Foreign Relations, 10.
Denza, E. (2005). Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons: the European Union and Iran. Eur. Foreign Aff. Rev., 10, 289.
Goldschmidt, P. (2009). Exposing nuclear non-compliance. Survival, 51(1), 143–164.
Goldschmidt, P. (2010). Safeguards noncompliance: a challenge for the IAEA and the UN Security Council. Arms Control Today, 40(1), 22.
Kerr, P. K. (2014). Iran’s nuclear program: Tehran’s compliance with international obligations. Current Politics and Economics of the Middle East, 5(1), 17.
Squassoni, S. (2005). Iran’s nuclear program: Recent developments. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE.
Toft, P. (2005). John J. Mearsheimer: an offensive realist between geopolitics and power. Journal of International Relations and Development, 8(4), 381–408.
