The Iranian Nuclear Program and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (original) (raw)

Abstract

Undoubtedly, the Iran’s nuclear program has progressed significantly in the past decade, in line with Iran’s 2006 announcement that it would, in addition to the conclusion of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, begin enriching uranium. Currently, Iran has a robust nuclear infrastructure, including uranium mining, milling, conversion, and enrichment capabilities. Iran is also thinking to construct more nuclear power plant in order to reduce the consumption of oil and gas for electricity generation. However, the most controversial dimension of its nuclear program has been Iran’s effort to build up its enrichment capabilities, which could be used to produce highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, without informing in advance to the IAEA, in accordance with its obligations as a state party to the NPT. This includes developing, constructing and implementing an extensive enrichment program comprising nearly 20,000 gas centrifuges at three major facilities. The adoption of a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will provide to the international community that the whole Iranian nuclear program is for peaceful purpose only.

Figures (4)

Source: Photograph courtesy of eideard.wordpress.com. Despite of the failure in the implementation of the USA-Iran agreement in the middle of 1970s, France and the Federal Republic of Germany signed an agreement for the construction of four nuclear power reactors in Iran in two selected sites. In May 1975, the construction of two 1,200 MWe PWR units, supplied by SIEMENS KWU, started. However, Western governmental support of the nuclear power program in Iran began to erode ahead of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Pressure on France, which in 1973 signed a deal to build two units at Darkhovin and Germany, whose KRAFTWERK UNION began building a pair of reactors at Bushehr in 1975 (see Figure 1), led to the cancellation of both projects (Bruno, 2008). By the time of the 1979 revolution, Iran had developed an impressive baseline capability in nuclear technologies.

Source: Photograph courtesy of eideard.wordpress.com. Despite of the failure in the implementation of the USA-Iran agreement in the middle of 1970s, France and the Federal Republic of Germany signed an agreement for the construction of four nuclear power reactors in Iran in two selected sites. In May 1975, the construction of two 1,200 MWe PWR units, supplied by SIEMENS KWU, started. However, Western governmental support of the nuclear power program in Iran began to erode ahead of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Pressure on France, which in 1973 signed a deal to build two units at Darkhovin and Germany, whose KRAFTWERK UNION began building a pair of reactors at Bushehr in 1975 (see Figure 1), led to the cancellation of both projects (Bruno, 2008). By the time of the 1979 revolution, Iran had developed an impressive baseline capability in nuclear technologies.

Source: World Nuclear Association. Table 1. Bushehr nuclear power plant After the withdrawal of Germany and France as Iran partner for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, an agreement between the Iranian and Russian governments on building a two-units nuclear power plant was signed in Moscow in August 1992. This covered both construction and operation of the plant. According to World Nuclear Association, the AEOI insisted that the project should make full use of the structures and equipment already built at the Bushehr site. In 1994, Russia’s MINATOM agreed with AEOI to complete unit 1 of Bushehr nuclear power plant with a VVER-1000 unit, using mostly the infrastructure already in place, and a contract was signed in January 1995 in order to conclude the construction of the first unit. Some information regarding the Bushehr nuclear power plant can be seen in Table 1.

Source: World Nuclear Association. Table 1. Bushehr nuclear power plant After the withdrawal of Germany and France as Iran partner for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, an agreement between the Iranian and Russian governments on building a two-units nuclear power plant was signed in Moscow in August 1992. This covered both construction and operation of the plant. According to World Nuclear Association, the AEOI insisted that the project should make full use of the structures and equipment already built at the Bushehr site. In 1994, Russia’s MINATOM agreed with AEOI to complete unit 1 of Bushehr nuclear power plant with a VVER-1000 unit, using mostly the infrastructure already in place, and a contract was signed in January 1995 in order to conclude the construction of the first unit. Some information regarding the Bushehr nuclear power plant can be seen in Table 1.

Table 2. Nuclear power reactors planned and proposed

Table 2. Nuclear power reactors planned and proposed

Figure 2. Location of all main components of the Iran nuclear power program. The location of all main components of the Iran nuclear power program is 10Wn in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Location of all main components of the Iran nuclear power program. The location of all main components of the Iran nuclear power program is 10Wn in Figure 2.

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