preview

Iran And Nuclear Weapons Treaty

Decent Essays

Dating back to the 1950s, Iran was interested in having its nuclear program (NTI, September 2015). Iran received assistance from the United States through the US “Atoms for Peace” program. This is a program announced by the United States at the UN in 1953 to share nuclear materials with other countries and states for peaceful purposes. Although Iran ratified the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT) in 1970, the Shah might already have ambitions for developing nuclear weapons (NTI, September 2015).
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, in which the Shah was overthrown, the United States discontinued its support regarding Iran’s development of its nuclear program (Thompson, November 20, 2013). The United States worried that Iran could use the uranium to develop atomic or nuclear bombs. However, Iran claimed that the nuclear power will be used for peaceful purposes only. In 2003, uranium, the necessary material needed to make nuclear bombs, was found at a plant in the city of Natanz by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). A temporary stop on nuclear enrichment was made. The enrichment resumed in 2006 after Iran continued its nuclear program (Thompson, November 20, 2013). The international community started to react against Iran nuclear program (Thompson, November 20, 2013). A sanction against Iran was passed by the UN Security Council after Iran did not stop its nuclear program. Sanctions could be said to be both effective and

Get Access