Talking Points, Iran and US

Is Iran’s nuclear program legal and for power generation, or is Iran’s program shrouded in secrecy and duplicity?

Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran can have a nuclear program but cannot create or maintain a nuclear arsenal. Iran would like to build 15 nuclear power plants and 2 nuclear research plants. During the Iran/Iraq war, two nuclear power plants that Iran was building were destroyed by Iraq. They are being rebuilt in Bushehr by a Russian contractor. Reports on Iran from the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), indicate that although Iran is reporting regularly on its nuclear program, some operational information is being withheld and uranium enrichment is continuing despite international pressure.

IAEA News Center

How are superpower countries, who can have nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, responding to Iran’s lack of cooperation with the IAEA?

Iranian leadership has stated that there should not be a monopoly over nuclear power. However, Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in the seventies, agreeing to not create a nuclear arsenal or maintain a nuclear weapons program. The US has been adamant about Iran halting its nuclear program immediately. In the UN Security Council, a sanctions resolution seems far from attainable with the US being blocked from taking action by China and Russia, who do not want to see stiff sanctions and possible military action against Iran. France and Britain have tried to negotiate a compromise, but neither side seems willing to give in their positions. How can the US find a compromise with China and Russia to allay fears that Iran is developing a nuclear arsenal while maintaining peace and allowing Russian contractors to continue working to build nuclear power plants in Iran?

SwissInfo News

Why has Tehran called for talks with the US after nearly four decades of separation?

With Iraq next door, Iran could be concerned about the status of Iraq’s political instability. Iran may be willing to talk to the US about Iraq and help with the Shiite insurgency, but may expect a favor in return. The US could use Iran’s influence with Shiite groups in Iraq to create more stability.

Is Iran a fundamentalist Islamic state?

Iran is often characterized in the media as an extreme Islamic state, run by radical Shiite clerics. However, the Iranian President is elected through universal suffrage, the right of all adults to vote regardless of race, sex, belief or economic or social status. The President of Iran does not have the same influence as the President of the US. The Supreme Leader of Iran heads the military and has the sole ability to declare war. The Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts, a group of 86 clerics that meet one week annually and are elected through universal suffrage.

There are many human rights concerns in Iran today. The status of women in Iran has been historically much more equal in Iran than other surrounding countries. Women were afforded many equal rights to men in 1970, including the right to vote, get an education, own property and run for political office. Since the Gulf War in 1991, women’s status has been pulled back and women have felt the sting of sanctions against Iran. There are many ties between the US and Iran. Many students have studied at American Universities and have taken their education and experience to their careers and communities in Iran.

Wikipedia on Iran

How could the outcome of the midterm elections change US foreign policy in the Middle East?

The US has hit a stalemate in pushing for stricter sanctions against Iran. The US is not interested in finding a middle ground and the UN Security Council will move forward without a compromise. Israel’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has announced that the US midterm elections were a victory for Iran, not just the people of the US. With a new Secretary of Defense and a Democratic majority in the House and Senate, is there an opportunity for the US to change course in Iran, and also in Iraq?

IPS News Agency

Other Links:

UN Resolution 1696

Time line for Iran’s Nuclear Program

IAEA information on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Iran an Emerging Threat?

Iran conducts War Games in response to US Naval presence in Persian Gulf