Problems in multilateral diplomacy: Iran's nuclear program

Résumé du document

"Iran now lies at the center of the Middle East's major problems": civil wars in Iraq and Lebanon, development and security challenges in Afghanistan and in the Gulf, oil crisis, etc. But the main issue concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran for the international community is the development of its nuclear program. Nuclear proliferation is an issue that is regulated under a multilateral Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by the UN-affiliated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but that also involves the UN Security Council, as it constitutes a threat to peace and security. It is thus interesting to analyze the challenge of Iran nuclear program in this multilateral perspective. Iran is a party to the NPT since 1970 and the Islamic Revolution did not change this situation. The nuclear program was actually initiated in the 1950s by the Shah who benefited from US support (as Eisenhower had launched the Atoms for Peace program). In the 1970s, Iran even received assistance from the US, Germany and France for its technology and fuel supply. The decision to develop nuclear technologies was favored by the war with Iraq in 1980 and not by the fear of Israel or the US.

Extraits

[...] But the main issue concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran for the international community is the development of its nuclear program. Nuclear proliferation is an issue that is regulated under a multilateral Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by the UN- affiliated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but that also involves the UN Security Council, as it constitutes a threat to peace and security. It is thus interesting to analyze the challenge of Iran nuclear program in this multilateral perspective Iran and the international proliferation control regime: the “unfairness” of the NPT? [...]

[...] In the same time, the international community should respect the sovereignty of Iran and accept to cooperate in economic and regional affairs. But these two fundamental policies require a major change in the strategies of the involved countries[18]: the US should for instance consider diplomatic normalization as a starting point rather than a result of negotiations. The only possibility to resolve the crisis is multilateral diplomacy but an agreement could only be reached if the international community is united, willing to act and ready to make strategic shifts: from “proliferation fatalism” and “deterrence optimism”[19] to pragmatic negotiations. [...]

[...] [This CRS report presents the international tools used to control nuclear proliferation, the role of the NPT, of regional agreements and of the IAEA.] UN Documents *Security Council, S/Res/1696, July (New York City: United Nations Documents, 2006) and S/Res/1737, December (New York City: United Nations Documents, 2006). [These 2 resolutions illustrate the change of tone of the international community as Iran appeared to be clearly unwilling to negotiate.] Websites *International Atomic Energy Agency: url: http://www.iaea.org/ Ray Takeyh, “Time for Détente with Foreign Affairs, March/April 2007. Joseph Cirincione, “Controlling Iran's Nuclear Program”, Issues in Science and Technology, vol.2, iss p.75-83. [...]

[...] Sharon Squassoni, “Proliferation Control Regimes: Background and Status”, CRS Report for Congress p.12. Iran's leaders profess that WMD is inconsistent with their ideology (and “religious principles”)and that they seek energy independence because of their finite oil resources, according to Kenneth Katzman, U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses”, CRS Report for Congress p.15-16. Edward M. Gomez, “WORLD VIEWS: German election reveals two or no winners; Iran asserts nuclear-energy production rights; Pakistani journalist bashes loutish Muslims”, San Francisco Gate, September Katzman, CRS Report, p. [...]

[...] However the ayatollahs decided to develop their own full nuclear system to avoid foreign dependency because of the necessity to import fuel. This project is allowed under the NPT but Iran has to accept IAEA safeguards (as defined in the Additional Protocol to the NPT signed in 2003 in Vienna[4]): IAEA inspectors verify the application of safeguard measures, i.e. the pledge of the state not to acquire nuclear weapons.[5] However, even if Iranian authorities have always claimed that the nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes[6] and even if neither the CIA nor the IAEA have found evidence that Iran is developing a military nuclear program, Iran has been a long-standing criticizer of the NPT. [...]