Global InformationIran and weapons of mass destruction information
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Iran is not known to currently possess weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and has signed treaties repudiating the possession of WMD including the Biological Weapons Convention,[1] the Chemical Weapons Convention,[2] and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).[3] Iran has first-hand knowledge of WMD effects—over 100,000 Iranian troops and civilians were victims of chemical weapons during the 1980s Iran–Iraq War.[4][5]
In 2003 the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other clerics, issued a public and categorical religious decree (fatwa) against the development, production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons,[6][7] though it is approved by some relatively minor clerics.[8] Later versions of this fatwa forbid only the "use" of nuclear weapons, but said nothing about their production.[9] Iran has stated its uranium enrichment program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.[10][11] The IAEA has confirmed the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran but has also said it "needs to have confidence in the absence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program."[12][13]
In December 2014, a Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control report by Lincy and Milhollin based on IAEA data concluded that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear warhead in 1.7 months.[14] In 2012, sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, reported that Iran was pursuing research that could enable it to produce nuclear weapons, but was not attempting to do so.[15] In 2010 and 2011, the senior officers of all of the major American intelligence agencies stated that there was no conclusive evidence that Iran has made any attempt to produce nuclear weapons since 2003.[16] In a 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, the United States Intelligence Community assessed that Iran had ended all "nuclear weapon design and weaponization work" in 2003.[17] Then U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stated in January 2012 that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, but was not attempting to produce nuclear weapons.[18] In 2009, U.S. intelligence assessed that Iranian intentions were unknown.[19][20] Some European intelligence believe Iran has resumed its alleged nuclear weapons design work.[21] In 2011, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Iran was close to having the capability to produce nuclear weapons.[22] Iran has called for nuclear weapons states to disarm and for the Middle East to be a nuclear weapon free zone.[23]
After the IAEA voted in a rare non-consensus decision to find Iran in non-compliance with its NPT Safeguards Agreement and to report that non-compliance to the UN Security Council,[24][25] the Council demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear enrichment activities[26][27] and imposed sanctions against Iran[28][29][30][31] when Iran refused to do so.[32] Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad argued that the sanctions were illegal.[33] The IAEA has been able to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran, but not the absence of undeclared activities.[34] The Non-Aligned Movement has called on both sides to work through the IAEA for a solution.[35]
In November 2009, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted[36] a resolution against Iran which urged Iran to apply the modified Code 3.1 to its Safeguard Agreement,[37] urged Iran to implement and ratify the Additional Protocol,[37] and expressed "serious concern" that Iran had not cooperated on issues that needed "to be clarified to exclude the possibility of military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program."[38] Iran said the "hasty and undue" resolution would "jeopardize the conducive environment vitally needed" for successful negotiations.[38]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
OPBWwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
statuswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Signatories and Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons". Retrieved 17 April 2006.
- ^ "Nuclear proliferation: The Islamic Republic of Iran", Gawdat Bahgat, Iranian Studies Journal, vol. 39(3), September 2006
- ^ Center for Documents of The Imposed War, Tehran. (مرکز مطالعات و تحقیقات جنگ)
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
sfc31oct03was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Ayat. Kashani: N-bomb production religiously forbidden". Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ Raman, Suby (22 November 2011). "Did the IAEA report undermine Khamenei's religious authority?". Tabeer. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012.
- ^ Glenn Kessler. "Did Iran's supreme leader issue a Fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons?".
- ^ "AFP:Six powers to meet soon over Iran's nuclear program". 15 January 2008. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Iran wants new nuclear fuel talks". tehrantimes.com. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ Strobel, Warren (18 February 2010). "Iran may be seeking nuclear warhead, U.N. watchdog says". McClatchy News. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ "International Atomic Energy Agency: Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Iran's Nuclear Timetable". Retrieved 8 February 2015..
- ^ U.S. does not believe Iran is trying to build nuclear bomb, Los Angeles Times, 23 February 2012.
- ^ Iran and the Bomb, Seymour Hersh, The New Yorker, 30 June 2011.
- ^ Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities Archived 22 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine, National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007.
- ^ Iran Trumpets Nuclear Ability at a Second Location, The New York Times, 8 January 2012.
- ^ "Federation of American Scientists: Iran's Nuclear Program: Status" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ Dennis Blair: Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2009) Archived 12 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
We judge in fall 2003 Tehran halted its nuclear weapons design and weaponization activities and that the halt lasted at least several years... Although we do not know whether Iran currently intends to develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them... develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them.
- ^ Broad, William J.; DAVID E. SANGER (3 October 2009). "Report Says Iran Has Data to Make a Nuclear Bomb". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "Medvedev: Iran Nearer to Nuclear Weapons Potential". .voanews.com. 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
IranDAConfwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "IAEA Board of Governors: "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (September 2005)" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "IAEA Board of Governors: "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (February 2006)" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ Resolution 1696 (2006) Archived 25 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Security Council Demands Iran Suspend Uranium Enrichment by 31 August, or Face Possible Economic, Diplomatic Sanctions". United Nations. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Security Council Imposes Sanctions on Iran for failure to halt Uranium Enrichment, Unanimously adopting Resolution 1737 (2006)". 23 December 2006.
- ^ "Security Council tightens sanctions against Iran over uranium enrichment". 24 March 2007.
- ^ "Security Council Tightens Restrictions on Iran's Proliferation-Sensitive Nuclear Activities, Increases Vigilance Over Iranian Banks, Has States Inspect Cargo". United Nations. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "UN: Security Council calls on Iran to comply with nuclear obligations". United Nations. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "UN Security Council demands that Iran suspend nuclear activities". UN News Centre. 31 July 2006.
- ^ "MSNBC: "Ahmadinejad: Iran's nuclear issue is 'closed'" (09/25/2007)". NBC News. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006) and 1747 (2007) in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ReutersNAMwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ France24: UN atomic watchdog censures Iran: diplomats [permanent dead link]
Of the 35-member board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 25 countries voted in favour of the resolution, diplomats said. Three countries – Venezuela, Malaysia and Cuba – voted against the resolution. Six countries – Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey – abstained. One country, Azerbaijan, was absent from the vote.
- ^ a b "Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ a b Cooper, Helene (27 November 2009). "New York Times: Iran Censured Over Nuclear Program by U.N. Watchdog". The New York Times. Iran;Russia;China. Retrieved 23 November 2011.