Iran's Nuclear Program: Recent Developments

Abstract

Since 2003, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections of Iran's nuclear program have revealed significant undeclared activities with potential application for nuclear weapons, including uranium enrichment facilities and plutonium separation efforts. Also since 2003, Iran has been negotiating with Germany, France, and the UK (EU-3) for a wide range of assistance in exchange for a halt to such activities. Yet, most evidence indicates that Iran has never completely suspended its enrichment activities, raising the question of whether Iran is buying time to build nuclear weapons. Although the EU-3 are seeking a permanent suspension, Iran insists its suspension is temporary. Ever on the brink of being declared in violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has allowed IAEA inspectors access only when pressed. This report, which is updated as needed, analyzes the significance of the IAEA s findings for a possible Iranian nuclear weapons program.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 18, 2005
Accession Number
ADA477836

Entities

People

  • Sharon Squassoni

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Centrifuges
  • Energy
  • Fissile Materials
  • Heavy Water
  • Isotope Separation
  • Isotopes
  • Materials
  • Negotiations
  • New York
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Nuclear Fuels
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Production
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security