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Iran's nuclear program goes back many decades. However, in recent years, due to global political changes Iran is finding its 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 allegedly 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.
The foundations for Iran's nuclear program 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 its nuclear programme; however, due to a radically different political climate and punitive 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 . 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 its valuable oil should be used for high value products, not simple electricity generation. Iran also raises financial questions, claiming that developing the excess capacity in its 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 .
Since 2002, the US has countered 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 essence, the US feels that it must guard against even the possibility of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapons capability. Furthermore, the particular type of nuclear power Iran is pursuing is a dual-use technology—it can indeed be used for peaceful energy generation, but the same technology could also be used to develop nuclear weapons, the same sort of situation which resulted in India's own nuclear weapons programme in the 1960s.
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, claiming the pressure is 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.
Note: there have been significant developments since this report has been published. IAEA finds enriched uranium samples are not iranian. Iran signs the additional protocol etc.
All these facilities are under the safeguards of the IAEA.
1967: The Tehran Nuclear Research is built and run by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).
July 1968: Iran signs the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and ratifies it. It goes into effect on March 5, 1970.
1970s: Under the Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (Iran's King), plans are made to construct up to twenty nuclear power stations accorss the country with U.S.. support and backing. Numerous contracts were signed with various western firms, and the German firm Kraftwerk Union (a subsidiary of Siemens) began construction on the Busheir power plant in 1974.
1975: Massachusetts Institute of Technology signs a contract with the Iran-Iraq war.
In 1990, Iran begins negotiations with Russia regarding the re-construction of the Busheir power plant.
In 1992, Iran signed an agreement with China for building of two 950 watt reactors in Darkhovin (Western Iran). To date, construction has not yet begun.
In January 1995, Iran signs an $800 million contract with Russian Ministry of Atomic energy (Minatom) to complete reactors at Bushehr under IAEA safeguards.
In December 2002, The USA accuses Iran of attempting to make Nuclear Weapons. An anti-Iranian terrorist organisation, the MKO (Mujahedin Khalq Organisation) releases pictures of two nuclear related facilities at Natanz and Arak.
16 June 2003, Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency declares that "Iran failed to report certain nuclear materials and activities" and requested "co-operative actions" from Iran. However at no point does the International Atomic Energy Agency declare Iran in breach of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In October 2003 Iran begins to hold negotiations with IAEA members with respect to a more stringent set of nuclear inspections.
On November 11, 2003, The IAEA declares that there is no evidence that Iran is attempting to build an atomic bomb.
On November 13, 2003, Washington claims the IAEA report is "impossible to believe". The UN stands behind the facts provided in the report.
In June 2004, Kamal Kharrazi, Iran's foreign minister, said: "We won't accept any new obligations. Iran has a high technical capability and has to be recognised by the international community as a member of the nuclear club. This is an irreversible path." with regards to demands that Iran halt its nuclear programme.
On June 14, 2004, Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency accuses Iran of "less than satisfactory" cooperation during the IAEA's investigation of its nuclear program. ElBaradei demands "accelerated and proactive cooperation" from Iran.
On July 27, 2004, Iran breaks seals placed upon uranium centrifuges by the International Atomic Energy Agency and resumes construction of the centrifuges at Natanz.
On July 31, 2004, Iran stated that it has resumed building nuclear centrifuges to enrich uranium reversing an voluntary October 2003 pledge to Britain, France and Germany to suspend all uranium enrichment-related activities. The United States contends that the purpose is to produce August 10, 2004, several long standing charges and questions regarding weapons grade uranium samples were clarified by the IAEA. The samples matched Pakistani and Russian sources which had contaminated imported Iranian equipment from those countries.
On August 24, 2004, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi declares in Wellington, New Zealand declaring that Iran would retaliate with force against Israel or any nation that attempts a pre-emptive strike on its nuclear program. Earlier in the week, Israel's chief of staff, General Moshe Ya'alon, told an Israeli newspaper that "Iran is striving for nuclear capability and I suggest that in this matter [Israel] not rely on others."
On September 6, 2004, the latest IAEA report finds that "unresolved issues surrounding Iran's atomic programme are being clarified or resolved outright".
On September 18, 2004, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations's nuclear watchdog agency, unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Iran to suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment.
On September 21, 2004, in defiance of the United Nations, Iran announced that it will continue its nuclear program converting 37 tonnes of yellowcake uranium for processing in centrifuges.
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