Iran's nuclear ambitions from a historical perspective and the attitude of the West (original) (raw)

GJ #2016, 2, A New Perspective in the Middle East: A Comprehensive Approach to the Us-Iran Relations in the Region, by Mehdi Shokri

This paper discusses the significance of the cooperation between the United States and Iran for the Middle East region. It will be argued that despite the political and ideological conflicts between the U.S. and Iran, reaching a " point by point " agreement would best help to resolve Middle East predicaments, especially the Islamic terrorism. To achieve this, the following pages examine the historical background of issues such as terrorism in the Middle East. This paper also focuses on two main paths to support the better U.S.-Iran cooperation, if not talking about relations at all. First, the theory of " point by point " approach helps both countries to tackle tough agendas and overcome the predicaments in the Middle East. Second, to reach the desired cooperation between these two countries, both the U.S. and Iran need to overcome their own internal constraints as well as the external constrains imposed by other countries. This paper takes an historical and theoretical approach to reveal the two countries' common interests in the Middle East. The general thesis argues that the Middle East's security requires the United States and Iran to develop a diplomatic and military cooperation.

American Special Relationships in the Middle East: Understanding US Foreign Policy, 1945-1978

A study of US foreign policy during the Cold War to cultivate special relationships with the states of Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East to facilitate regional stability, foment its access to oil for a consumer-driven economy, and forge a bulwark against communism and Soviet expansionism. These key states also have the historic distinction in Britain’s own strategic defense in the region. Dualistically, the US had hoped that these relationships would provide a solution to the rising tide of nationalism and anti-American sentiment.Thus, the US reproduced Britain’s own Middle East foreign policy with key Third World states to stem the advance of Soviet’s interest in the region and usurp the abiding influence of a declining empire.

US-Iranian Rapprochement -Motives and Implications

2014

Since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, several attempts to improve Iranian-American relations have been made, but failed. However, the present efforts such relations, since Hassan Rouhani assumed office on August 3, 2013, appear to be far more serious. Accordingly, the aim of this paper is threefold. First, it explains the elements of rapprochement in the US-Iranian relations since Rouhani came to power in 2013. Second, it clarifies the internal, regional and international developments that have influenced and shaped the relations between the two countries. Third, it aims at discussing the implications of a U.S.-Iran rapprochement for the Middle East.The study reveals that US-Iran relations are experiencing fundamental and dramatic changes started by rounds of negotiations about the Iran's nuclear programme. As it is known in politics, there are no permanent friends or foes, only permanent interests. Accordingly, Iranian and US foreign policy has been and will continue to be ...

U.S. policies toward Iran and implications for regional security in the Persian Gulf 1979-2008

2012

This research examined the US policies toward Iran and its implications on regional security in the Persian Gulf during the period from 1979-2008. In addition, the study also evaluated the U.S. policies toward Iran in relations to the Persian Gulf during the presidencies of Carter, Reagan, George HW Bush, Clinton, and George Bush during this period of time. The objectives of the research were achieved by seeking answers to the two research questions: 1) What were the evolutions of the U.S. regional security policies regarding Iran in the Persian Gulf from 1979 to 2008?; 2) What were the influences of the U.S. regional security policies on the regional peace and stability regarding Iran in the Persian Gulf? Based on the research questions, the goals of this study were to examine and analyze the security policies of different US administrations from the time of the Islamic revolution in

UNITED STATES-IRAN RELATIONS AND NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

For preserving huge oil stocks for the coming days, that presumably would increase in value as world oil supplies dwindled and Iran could also reserve oil stocks for petrochemical use instead of fuel, Shah of Iran began an aspiring nuclear programme which was concentrated on an aggressive development of nuclear power.Arguments have been made by western economists that either Tehran was inexperienced or insincere in the process of nuclear programme; however, prudent would be, it to believe that Iran was serious, particularly assuming that the programme of Iran's Shah Reza Pahlavi was being assisted by the Washington and the consent to build first nuclear power station in Tehran was given by Federal Democratic Republic of Germany. This article contains a brief history of the Shah's nuclear program and a particular analysis of American-Iranian Relations during the Era of Shah of Iran.

US-Iran Relations and its Implications on International Peace and Security

African Journal of Politics and Administrative Studies

This piece analyses stages of friendly as well as ferocious relationships between United States of America (US) and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The paper identified unhealthy struggle for dominance and the attendant use of surrogates by the countries to achieve their aims. The paper objective centres on ascertaining the causes of the multi-decade sour relations between the states. With the aid of descriptive approach, data obtained from text books, journals, mass media (of international repute), and internet resources were sourced and analysed. Theoretically, Morgenthau’s political realism, with emphasis on interest defined in terms of (political, economic, military and other corollaries) of power was adopted to unravel the relation between the variables. Findings show that US and Iran were allies before a military coup that unseat the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq and restored full political powers to the Shah in 1953. There was a trilateral relation amo...

Strategic Impacts and Ramifications of U.S-Iran Rapprochement: The End of a Beginning

American post war intervention and engagement in the larger Middle East (Middle East and Persia Gulf) is no coincidence but a calculated strategy for long term national interest. A protracted and active presence of Washington is arguably the continuity of Western imperialism in the region and thus bound to be resisted. Washington-Tehran relations predated the Islamic revolutionary that accorded a new regional and global bearing to Iran. The revolution by all accounts was one of the representations of Iranian resistance to Western imperialism. For more than three decades, U.S-Iran animosity has benefited and has been exploited by competing power centres, though of recent, the two are mending ways through diplomatic efforts that could ultimately be a defining moment for the region. The paper looks at the strategic impacts and ramifications of the new dawn in U.S-Iran relations and regional antagonism it has awoken. The paper argues that the rapprochement resonates with U.S long term interest in the region, thus short term illusions should not dissuade Washington from augmenting and consolidating the new level of relations. From a strategic standpoint, the paper avers that any sort of success story emanating from the rapprochement should be best attributed to the hard, committed and multilateral European diplomacy. The paper also discusses the corollary of the rapprochement beyond the Middle East and the nuance it provides in understanding Middle East geopolitics.

Iranian Nuclear and United States Interests in the Middle East, 2005-2013: An Analysis of Neorealism

TAMKANG JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, 2018

Iran’s Ahmadinejad decided to reactivate the development of nuclear technology programs. This led the United States to claim that Iran was trying to create nuclear weapons and pressured Iran to terminate it. The purpose of this article is to identify the US strategic interests in the Middle Eastern region in relation to Iran's nuclear. It is then elaborated in detail and analysed using a neorealism perspective. This article is qualitative in which primary data is collected through interviews with field experts. In addition, reports and content analysis are also part of the primary data of this article, while secondary data refers to authoritative internet materials. We argue that US strategic interests in the Middle East in the context of Iran's nuclear is to control Persian Gulf oil resources, preventing wider Iran's influence in the Middle East, providing military protection to the Persian Gulf states as the largest oil producers in the Middle East and protecting Israel whom is a close US ally. When viewed from neorealism perspective, we argue that Iran's action under Ahmadinejad to continue its nuclear program is justified as it is a survival effort and to prevent external threats, though this will lead to nuclear competition in the region.