The Iranian nuclear program was initiated decades ago but for some years it has been attracting controversy and debate on international forums. This research essay will be touching both sides of the controversy and explain how the whole affair has evolved over time. Nations critical of any nuclear development in Iran regard it as a threat to peace and stability in the world. However Iran maintains a different but principled stance on this issue. On the basis of the United Nations Charter of 1945, Iran considers it as its right as a sovereign state to pursue its desire of enriching uranium and certainly does not consider itself liable to seek authorization of its actions from any other state or organization. With these words to support the claim of this essay, the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully sovereign in its decision to enrich uranium and obtain nuclear technology.
History of Iranian efforts for achieving uranium-enrichment and nuclear technology goes back five decades, when the Shah of Iran Raza Shah Pahlavi came into power during the 1950s. The King of Iran thought that as oil reserves were eventually going to run out so the need for an alternative source of fuel was imperative for the future. A civil nuclear cooperation deal was signed with the United States of America (USA) under the name of Atoms for Peace program. This led to the establishment of the Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC) in 1967, run by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The following few years saw the golden period of international relations of Iran with the western world. Trade agreements were signed and many European countries showed a lot of interest in the development of its nuclear technology. The US response to the whole situation was over-whelming and other developed countries followed suit. The first nuclear reactor was set up at Bushehr and nuclear fuel was provided along with the necessary equipment to help Iran start its
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