Iran's nuclear programme goes back many decades. However, in recent years, due to global political changes Iran is finding it's programme under severe scrutiny and even facing charges of developing a nuclear weapon capability.
Iran had maintained that the purpose of its nuclear program was the generation of power; any other use being a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, of which it is a signatory. The U.S. had insisted late in 2003 that Tehran be held accountable for seeking to build nuclear arms in violation of its agreements. Since then Iran's nuclear development programme has taken a center stage in Middle Eastern as well as world politics.
Background
The foundations for Iran's nuclear programme were laid in the 1960 under auspices of the US within the framework of bilateral agreements between the two countries. In 1967 the Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC) was built and run by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). The TNRC was equiped with a US supplied 5-megawatt nuclear research reactor. Iran signed and ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968. With the establishment of Iran's atomic agency and the NPT in place plans were drawn by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (Iran's King) to construct up to twenty three nuclear power stations accorss the country together with U.S. by the year 2000. Numerous contracts were signed with various western firms, and the German firm Siemens began construction on the Busheir power plant. Work was halted with the 1979 Iranian Revolution and Siemens withdrew from the project. Shortly afterwards Iraq invaded Iran and the nuclear programme was stopped until the end of the war. In 1990, Iran began to look outwards towards partners for it's nuclear programme however due to a radically different political climate and puntive US economic sanctions few candidates existed. In 1995 Iran signed a contract with Russia to resume work on the half complete Busheir plant. It was not until 2002 that the U.S. began to question Iran's nuclear intentions after the MKO revealed the existance of the Natanz and Arak facilities.
Iran claims that nuclear power is necessary for a booming population and rapidly industrialising nation. It points to the fact that Iran's population has more than doubled in 20 years, the country regularly imports gasoline and electricity, and that burning fossil fuel in large amounts harms Iran's enviornment drastically [1]. Additionaly, Iran questions why it shouldn't be allowed to diversify its sources of energy. Especially, when there are fears of its oil fields eventually being depleted. It continues to argue that it's valuable oil should be used for high value products not simple electricity generation. Iran also raises financial questions claiming that developing the execess capacity in it's oil industry would cost it $40 billion, let alone pay for the power plants. Harnessing nuclear power costs a fraction of this considering Iran has abundant supplies of accessible uranium ore [2].
Since 2002, the US has counterd that Iran does not need nuclear power due to its abundant oil reserves. The argument also lies on financial grounds: The US argues that in production, each kilowatt of nuclear power costs $1000. A high figure when compared to the $600-800 of oil power. While this claim is also justified by economics, the true reason behind US resistance lies in regional Middle Eastern geopolitics. In essesnce, the US feels that it must guard against even the possibility of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapons capability.
The claims and counter claims have put an immense amount of pressure on Iran to reveal all aspects of its nuclear programme to date. A great deal of this pressure has come from Iran's trade partners: Europe, Japan, and Russia. Iran has been slow to respond seeing the pressure as an attempt by the US government to prevent it from obtaining nuclear power.
Only since the involvement of the IAEA, under the auspicies of Mohammad El-Baradei, and the UN has Iran started to cooperate. But even this degree of cooperation has varied depending on other geopolitical issues: at times the IAEA has had to admonish Iran, while at other times it has praised it.
Geopolitics
Note: there have been significant developments since this report has been published. [[3] IAEA finds enriched uranium samples are not iranian. Iran signs the additional protocol etc.
Facilities
All these facilities are under the safeguards of the IAEA.
- Busheir: A two reactor light water nuclear power plant.
- Arak: A heavy water production facility. Heavy water is used as a moderator in some reactors. Iran has plans to build a heavy water reactor at this location at a later date.
- Saghand: Location of Iran's uranium ore mines.
- Natanz: This is a uranium enrichment facility for converting uranium ore into a form usable by power plants. It can also create nuclear weapons quality HEU uran