With great honor, I declare that as of today our dear country has joined the nuclear club of nations and can produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale…
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran
Join us this Wednesday, September 24 at 7PM in CAS 326, and participate in a special summit of the G8 states to debate the status of Iran’s nuclear program.
Background
The U.S. and Western countries have to cope with new realities: that Iran is the master of nuclear enrichment technology and at the same time Iran is cooperating with the agency…
Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh, Iranian IAEA ambassador
The contention surrounding Iran’s nuclear program closely mimicked its relationship with the United State of America. In the 1950s, the United States began to work closely with the Iranian government to develop peaceful nuclear technology. After the 1979 Revolution, and the subsequent severing of US relations, the Iranian nuclear program became dormant. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation reignited Iran’s nuclear ambitions in 1995 by entering into a series of contracts and agreements to help construct a nuclear energy plant.
Tensions surrounding Iran’s present nuclear ambitions surfaced in 2002 after the existence of two plants under construction were revealed. After a series of complex negotiations, mainly involving France, Great Britain, and Germany, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials were allowed into the country. They reported that “Iran has failed in a number of instances over an extended period of time to meet its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement with respect to the reporting of nuclear material and its processing and use, as well as the declaration of facilities where such material has been processed and stored.”
The situation grew to its highest point of escalation in February of 2006 when the IAEA Board of Governors recommended to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), sponsored by France, Great Britain, and Germany and strongly backed by the United States. Following, the UNSC imposed a series of sanctions on the Iranian Government in Security Council Resolutions 1696, 1737, 1747, and 1803.
In 2007, President Ahmadinejad proudly declared his state’s entrance into the nuclear club spreading fear and insecurity throughout the region. Today, tensions continue to remain high, especially between Iran and the Jewish state of Israel, a state which Iran has continuously refused to recognize.
Recent News Articles
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-EU-France-Iran.html
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a464b3e8-850f-11dd-b148-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=178152
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/washington/18justice.html?ref=middleeast
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1023146.html
G8 Positions in Short
Canada
- Many Canadian interests lie within Iran, with trade capping at $350M per annum and many private Canadian companies functioning in Tehran
- The Canadian government restricted its diplomatic relations with Tehran in 2005 in response to a raising of tensions after a Canadian reporter was killed in Iran in 2003 and then after the explosion of the Canadian ambassador in 2004
- Canada fully supported and adhered to UNSC Resolution 1737, imposing sanction on Iran for not following IAEA protocols
France
- Began initial negotiations with Iran following the discovery of nuclear potential energy plant sites, hoping to keep the issue regional in scope and leading the European delegation
- Since, has declared Iran’s nuclear ambitions a clandestine weapons program, sponsoring both the IAEA report to the UNSC and all of the UNSC sanction resolutions on Iran
Germany
- Part of the EU-3 delegation, along with France and the United Kingdom, that began initial negotiations with Tehran
- Has significant financial ties to Iran, with more than $3B in trade during 2007, a 12% increase from the previous year
- While Germany has backed the condemnation of Iran’s nuclear program, it has warned the United States against military intervention
Italy
- Has backed Iran’s ability to obtain nuclear technology, but only for peaceful purposed and under IAEA supervisions
- Has also offered assistance to the United States in negotiations with Iran
- Also has considerable financial and trading interests with Iran, as Italy is Europe’s leading trade partner with Iran
Japan
- Has held unilateral talks with Iran with hopes of persuading Tehran to abandon its nuclear quest so that it can assume a beneficial seat on the world stage
- Over 70% of Japan’s oil is imported from Iran
Russia
- Reignited Iran’s nuclear ambitions in 1995 when it entered into contracts to assist to build two nuclear power plants
- Has been a leading voice of national sovereignty and a state’s right to self determinations, opposing the strict sanctions usually sought by the United States
- Recently has back off of some of its staunch positions regarding Iran after an IAEA report revealed further secrecy surrounding parts of Iran’s nuclear program
United Kingdom
- Has staunchly opposed the Iranian nuclear program since 1995, condemning Russia for being irresponsible and having blind and naive aspirations
- Has worked closely with the United States to freeze the accounts of top Iranian officials connected with the nuclear program
- Sponsored several UNSC resolutions enacting sanctions against Iran
United States of America
- Provided the most fierce opposition to the Iranian nuclear program, citing regional instability and the threat to Israel
- Has taken the sanctions against Iran to the domestic level, criminally prosecuting individuals and businesses involved in any arms trade with Iran
- Has accused Iran of supplying weapons to military insurgents in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan fighting against the United States
