Critical Issues
Background:
Iran has been pursuing its nuclear program since the 1950's - at first as part of a sanctioned effort by Washington to expand the use of nuclear power. Yet, much to the chagrin of the U.S., the Shah began an effort to build a nuclear weapon in the late 1960s, and the Islamic Revolution which displaced him picked up where he left off. The contemporary controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program centers on Iran's failure to disclose its enrichment and processing activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency. In December 2007, a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) of the U.S. government suggested that Iran will not be technically capable of producing and reprocessing enough plutonium for a weapon before about 2015. The NIE suggested that Iran halted nuclear arms program in 2003 but has been conducting research and development projects with commercial and conventional military applications—some of which would be of limited use for nuclear weapons. Iran agreed to engage in direct talks with members of the international community after a year of indirect tactics by both sides. But progress has been elusive and some question whether Iran's true motive in talks is to stall for time.
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Associated Readings
Analysis
Council on Foreign Relations
Thomas W. Lippman
May 20, 2009
Iranian Missile Test Politically Motivated
Opinions
Wall Street Journal
Michael Ledeen
Feb 09, 2009
Iran in Orbit
News
Bloomberg
Ladane Nasseri
Feb 25, 2009
Iran Says Test of First Nuclear Power Plant Begins
Analysis
Global Insight
Feb 20, 2009
IAEA Bemoans Continued
Analysis
Council on Foreign Relations
President, David Albright, Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor, Institute For Science And International Security and Cfr.org
Feb 20, 2009
Iran May Achieve Capability to Make A Nuclear Weapon in 2009
Analysis
Council on Foreign Relations
Frank Procida
Feb 23, 2009
Assessing Motives in Tehran
Analysis
Open CRS - Congressional Research Service
February 2009
Iran's Ballistic Missile Program: An Overview
Analysis
Council of Foreign Relations
Ray Takeyh and Vali Nasr
Jan/Feb 2008
The Costs of Containing Iran
Analysis
Brookings Institution
Peter Rodman
May 25, 2007
Countering Iran’s Revolutionary Challenge
Analysis
Institute for Science and International Security
David Albright
Mar 15, 2007
Iran's Nuclear Crisis: Latest Developments and Next Steps