Iran: Nuclear Rumblings

Campus Report ^ | June 30, 2008 | Rachel Paulk

[bs9021]

Iran: Nuclear Rumblings

by: Rachel Paulk, June 30, 2008

The trouble looming with Iran’s nuclear aspirations is potentially one of the most significant problems the new President will inherit from the Bush administration. As Iranian nuclear facilities are developing, international efforts at prohibiting the rogue nation from expanding into nuclear weaponry are proving ineffective. Despite multiple sanctions from the UN Security Council, repeated requests for explanation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and lucrative negotiation offers from Western powers, Iran seemingly remains committed to the path towards an advanced—and dangerous—nuclear program.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) outlined the country’s current nuclear capabilities in the dossier “Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East”:

“The exception is the Russian-built power reactor at Bushehr in Iran, which is nearly completed. Iran is also standing up a gas-centrifuge plant at Natanz, designed to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) for reactor fuel, but which also would be able to produce highly enriched uranium (HEU) for nuclear weapons. At Arak, Iran is building a heavy-water-moderated research reactor which has various civilian uses, but it also ideal for producing plutonium for weapons if the spent fuel is reprocessed.”

The surrounding countries aren’t hedging bets on Iran’s intentions as anything less than a nuclear-weapons capability. The IAEA reported Iran to the UN Security Council in February 2006 for traces of HEU. The IISS states that “In the span of the eleven months between February 2006 and January 2007, at least 13 countries in the Middle East announced new or revived plans to pursue or explore civilian nuclear energy.” As gaining nuclear-weapons capability is most easily plausible through first developing peaceful nuclear-energy programs, the reaction of Iran’s neighbors indicates the gravity of the ticking (nuclear) time bomb....

[norwaypinesavage]

"The trouble looming with Iran’s nuclear aspirations is potentially one of the most significant problems the new President will inherit from the Bush administration. "

Correction, The trouble looming with Iran’s nuclear aspirations is potentially one of the most significant problems the new President will inherit from the Carter administration.

[F15Eagle]

Good article