Iran’s Nuclear Program: The US struck three Iranian nuclear sites overnight on Sunday, intensifying the conflict a week after Israel conducted an unprecedented attack on Iran amid concerns about its nuclear ambitions. Western nations have frequently voiced concerns about Iran’s nuclear program’s explosive growth, raising doubts about the nation’s expedited uranium enrichment in particular. Iran disputes Israel’s accusations that it is about to manufacture nuclear weapons. A summary of the key events about Iran’s nuclear program is provided below.

Structured Programme:
When Iran’s governing shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, signed a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Washington in the late 1950s, Iran began laying the groundwork for its nuclear program with technical assistance from the United States. Iran agreed to disclose its nuclear material to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) when it accepted the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1970.

However, concerns were aroused when information concerning unreported nuclear sites surfaced in the early 2000s. Iran “carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device” at least until 2003, according to a 2011 IAEA study that compiled “broadly credible” intelligence.

A Historic Agreement in Ruins:
Following the suspension of enrichment activities, Iran initiated negotiations with European and later global powers, which ultimately resulted in a historic agreement. Iran secured an agreement in Vienna on July 14, 2015, with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States, as well as Germany.

After 12 years of crises and 21 months of drawn-out negotiations, the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), set substantial curbs on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, on May 8, 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term as president, the United States withdrew from the agreement and reinstated sanctions on Iran, which caused the hard-won agreement to fall apart.

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Nuclear Escalation:

Clement Therme, associate researcher at the Rasanah International Institute for Iranian Studies, said Iran ramped up its nuclear efforts in response to the US withdrawal, “as if a red cape had been waved in front of a bull.” According to Therme, Iran adopted a strategy of escalation to increase pressure and secure support to bypass sanctions. However, he noted that Tehran paid an “exorbitant economic cost” for its actions, which ultimately proved ineffective.

Iran began by enriching uranium to five percent, exceeding the 3.67 percent limit set by the nuclear deal. In 2021, it raised enrichment levels further, to 20 percent and then to 60 percent, a short step from the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material. Iran also expanded its stockpile of enriched uranium. While the agreement initially capped it at 202.8 kg, Iran now possesses over 45 times that amount.

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Since then, Tehran has exceeded the permitted number of centrifuges, devices used to enrich uranium, and has begun deploying more advanced models at its facilities to produce material more rapidly. European negotiators halted talks in the summer of 2022, and they have failed to revive the agreement since.

Washington and Iran resumed negotiations in April, with Oman acting as the mediator, after Trump returned to the White House. Tehran claimed that Israeli raids on several military and nuclear sites “dealt a blow” to the talks, despite the US president assuring that Iran would eventually sign a nuclear deal. On Sunday, Iran’s foreign ministry accused Washington of committing “illegality and crime” to support Israel and said the US bombings proved it.

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