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Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
The US and Iran signed a civil Nuclear cooperation agreement because of the Atoms for Peace program created by the US. This agreement called for research cooperation on peaceful nuclear energy uses. The purpose of this agreement was to make sure nuclear energy was used peacefully. This agreement confirmed that Iran understood the conditions of the use of the uranium that the US supplied. The agreement allowed cooperation for both sides and brought the two countries to work together for peace. -
Safeguards Agreement
“Iran signed the NPT Safeguards agreement with the IAEA”(Nikou, 2012). The IAEA is the International Atomic Energy Agency. This agreement allowed inspections in Iran’s nuclear research centers. This agreement made sure that the nuclear enrichment was used to create peaceful nuclear energy, and not nuclear weapons. -
23 Nuclear Power Plant Reactors
President Gerald Ford supported the Shah in the plan to build 23 nuclear power plant reactors. However this plan was refused by Ford's administration. Ford then creatively came up with the idea to create a multinational reprocessing plant in Iran that allowed the US to be a part of. Unfortunately Iran rejected the idea and pushed forward on the nation nuclear program. -
US Cuts Supply of Uranium
The US cut the supply of highly enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor. The US stopped supplying uranium because of the revolution occurring in Iran. The revolution lead to the fear that nuclear weapons would be used under the power of Islamic Republic. The area was highly sensitive and many fights broke out, therefore the US felt it was necessary to make sure there was no use of nuclear weapons. -
Iran Turns to Alternative Countries
After the US stopped helping Iran in the pursuit of creating nuclear energy, Iran turned to other powerful countries. Iran opened another nuclear research center with the help of China, soon after, many other countries were interested in Iran’s nuclear energy research. These included, Russia and Argentina, both countries provided money and assistance to build nuclear weapon research centers throughout Iran. -
US Opposes Iran's New Development
The US opposed Iran’s new development of the nuclear energy program. The terms being that Iran already has a sufficient income from oil and gas reserves. The US worried that the nuclear power reactor, created from the nuclear energy program, could become a weapons program. -
Traces of Uranium Found
After Iran presented its sketch to the UN showing the peaceful program, inspectors found evidence of possible uses of highly enriched uranium. These discoveries could lead to the production of atomic weapons by Iran. Although the odds were against Iran’s nuclear research center program, Iran continued to insist that the traces of uranium came from foreign imports. -
UN's Spectualations of Iran
Iran presented the UN with a sketch of Iran’s nuclear program. The purpose of this was to try to show the world that the program is peaceful. The UN continued to be skeptical of the situation. The UN still persisted in the idea to continue inspections. -
Iran is in Search of Becoming a Strong Country
Interview President Khatami caved in when saying that Iran was in search of becoming a strong country. President Khatami stated that in order to be powerful and strong there was a need for knowledge and technology of nuclear weapons. The president still persisted that Iran is not using its nuclear research centers to create atomic weapons, but only to gain knowledge and security. This is because the creation of atomic weapons would go against their religious beliefs. -
World Powers Show Concerns
Leaders from the US, France, and Great Britain stated their concerns at a press conference of the fuel enrichment plant created by Iran near Qom. Iran’s defense in response to this was that there was already confirmations with the IAEA concerning the new facility. Surveillances have been going on in the Iran’s new nuclear research center, soon after an Iran discovered these surveillances of the facility, the facility closed down. -
IAEA Reports a Potential Threat from Iran
CNN Report A report by the UN’s program, IAEA, stated that Iran was seeking out research that could be used in the development of a nuclear bomb trigger. The research that Iran was performing was clearly shown to be used towards the goal of nuclear weapons. Iran rejected the UN’s accusation stating that their research was politically motivated. -
"Further Escalation" in Iran's Nuclear Studies
Iran began further studies and enrichments of uranium using their underground plant. The US showed concern when stating that there is “further escalation” (BBC, 2012) in the nuclear studies. The European Union was on board with the US in the worries of the nuclear research performed by Iran leading to possible nuclear weapons. The action taken by the European Union to prevent further enrichment of uranium, was to impose an oil embargo on Iran. -
"Further Escalation" in Iran's Nuclear Studies Cont'd.
Soon after the embargo was enforced, the IAEA inspectors left Iran after the denial of access to a major nuclear facility.
