Why doesnt Iran stop its nuclear research? dont they know that this can only end badly?

Question

Do they really think that we will allow them to go as far as actually make a nuclear weapon?

Answer 1

They don't know it and, frankly, its not inevitable that it can end badly, at least for them. Besides, Iran is run by a relatively unpopular regime that has only its own interests to consider. They won't suffer from sanctions. And it looks like nuclear research is something that they can promote as a national objective which can help to rally the Iranian population behind them (in Pakistan the people who created their nuclear weapons are national heros; I imagine Iran has seen this and taken notes).

Will we allow them to build nuclear weapons? Probably not, but that is by no means a certainty. After Iraq I doubt Americans are going to support the military action in Iran that might be required in a worst case scenario. Again, this doubt gives the Iranian regime reason to believe they might succeed.

Answer 2

Under international law, they can pursue the research as long as they don't develop nuclear weapons. What is at stake is no one believing that they well stop with nuclear power. Additionally, they have the backing of China due to Iran's oil reserves being a huge stake in China's future. With that support, they feel invincible. I have no idea what will have to be offered to China to get them to back down.

Answer 3

If they survive at all, they win. Anything less than total annihilation allows them to claim they "held off the west".

And they're counting on the fact that with the US forces engaged in two wars already in that region, and an impotent UN, there is not enough military force or determination left in Europe to stop them.

The tragic thing about this is that until 2004, Iran had a moderate president who was happy to work with the west. The current leader was only elected because of what was happening in the region, specifically US invasions of both surrounding countries, which caused the Iranian people to elect a hard-liner to office.

Answer 4

I think they might be looking at the example of Saddam Hussein, who abided by requirements to destroy his WMDs and his nuclear program and when the US knew he had no major armaments, it attacked Iraq. So they might be arming themselves with nukes to prevent the US from attacking them, too.

Answer 5

We are dealing with people who have stated that Israel shouldn't even have the right to exist.

People who rage against cartoons but have no response to the Islamic terrorists' murder and maiming of innocent men, women and children around the world in the name of their God.

People who threaten death and beheadings to anyone who questions their beliefs.

People who chant, "Death to all infidels."

And, you, my friend, are asking a question that implies they have any common sense?

Answer 6

Yes and they think they will Rule The World !

Answer 7

Oh the little powers like to mess with the US to show how tough they are. (till they get squashed)

Answer 8

The authority in Iran is the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei. He is appointed for life. He wants to change the balance of power by havin a nuclear weapon. He wants to establish a Shiite Muslim caliphate starting with Iran, Iraq, (maybe Syria) and Lebanon. He has apocalyptic tendencies so the end of the world would seem to be within Allah's plan to his way of thinking.

Although sanctions may not be enough, it is worth the effort. Since Natanz, the nuclear research facility is underground, simply a massive EMP explosion in the atmosphere to knock out all electronics would not be sufficient.

Russia has repeatedly urged Iran to stop enriching uranium. Russis said it "regrets" Iran's decision not to halt uranium enrichment by the deadline. Some time ago Russia offered to sell Iran its enriched uranium to use in the power plant and has offered to help Iran construct a "light water" facility. Instead Iran opted to construct a "heavy water" facility which was recently opened at Arak. The underground research facility at Natanz

Mohammad Nabi Rudaki stated that 164 centrifuge sets are now enriching uranium up to 4.5 percent grade to provide nuclear fuel for industrial and power plant needs and that Iran will soon enrich uranium to the grade of 9 percent in 3000 centrifuge sets.

China has far more trade with the US than with Iran and although it competes with the US for oil, it receives roughly one quarter of OPEC oil.

If the Islamic leaders were a little less apocalyptic, perhaps a diplomatic solution might be found. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei wants to be the Shiite Caliph from Iran through Iraq to Lebanon. He needs to shift the balance of power in his favor.

The UN Security Council has reviewed the report from the Director General of the IAEA regarding whether Iran has established full and sustained suspension of all uranium enrichment and research activities. However, the UNSC will wait to consider possible actions until after the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, meets with Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, sometime in the middle of next week to seek a negotiated solution to the standoff over Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.

The UNSC may take measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to persuade Iran to comply with Resolution 1696 and the requirements of the IAEA. The UNSC will use diplomatic and economic sanctions including a ban on missile and nuclear technology to Tehran; international refusal to grant entry visas to those involved in Iran’s nuclear program and a freeze of their assets as well as a ban on investment in the country. Don't count on Russia and China to block that sanction vote. But if they do, there are other alternatives

U.S. Central Command is updating a target list for Iran. Retired Gen. McInerney advocates using B-2 stealth bombers, cruise missiles and jet fighters to conduct a one- or two-day bombing campaign to take out Iran's air defenses, military facilities and about 40 nuclear targets, which includes a Russian-built reactor and an enrichment plant at Bushehr. Israel has drafted plans for air strikes using long-range versions of the F-15 and F-16 fighters.

On August 22 Ali Larijani, hand delivered Iran's 21-page response to UNSC 1696 the package of incentives to dissuage Iran from uranium enrichment. Iran's top nuclear negotiator said that Tehran was ready to enter "serious negotiations" over its disputed nuclear program but did not say that it was willing to suspend uranium enrichment — the West's key demand. The West is still offering many economic incentives.

On August 19, Iran launched a large-scale area, sea and ground exercise he maneuver, the Blow of Zolfaghar (the sword used by Imam Ali), which involved 12 divisions, army Chinook helicopters, unmanned planes, parachutists, electronic war units and special forces. Iran's state-run television reported that the new anti-aircraft system was tested "to make Iranian air space unsafe for our enemies."

On Sunday, August 20, in the Kashan desert about 250 kilometers southeast of the capital of Tehran, Iran tested the Saegheh missile which has a range of between 80 to 250 kilometers. Saegheh means lightning in Farsi. (The language of Iran is not Arabic and Iranians are not Arabs.)
Iran's arsenal also contains the Shahab-3 missile, which means "shooting star" in Farsi, and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It has a range of more than 2,000 kilometers and can reach Israel and US forces in the Middle East.

Iran's military test-fired a series of missiles during large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf in March and April, including a missile it claimed was not detectable by radar that can use multiple warheads to hit several targets simultaneously.

On August 23, 2006 an article about Iran's reply to the incentives proposal, that was posted on the Iranian Foreign Ministry-affiliated website , implied that Iran's nuclear technology had already reached the point of no return: "...

The following are excerpts from the Al-Borz report:

"It is expected that the first anniversary of the forming of the ninth government will be the date of the Ahmadinejad government's 'nuclear birth.'

"... Together with [the celebration of] the anniversary of the forming of the ninth cabinet, the president of the country [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] will hold his third press conference... where he will answer questions from journalists from Iran and from abroad.

"In addition to detailing the activities of the government at the end of [its first] year, the head of the government [i.e. Ahmadinejad] will officially present Iran's positions on: economic and cultural matters, the nuclear dossier, the activities of nuclear research centers, and developments in the region."

Iran has been persistent to deter IAEA inspectors on certain properties which had been agreed to under the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty.)

Ali Soltanieh, Iran's permanent representative to the IAEA, denied that Iran had refused UN inspectors' access to its underground nuclear facilities at Natanz in central Iran. Iran needs to enrich uranium as a peaceful, alternative energy source and has the right to do so under the NPT, according to Iranian officials. They have told the IAEA that the traces of enriched uranium came from equipment purchased from another country, which was already contaminated.

Iran does not allow for remote monitoring of the PFEP (Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant). Or monitoring of the PHRC (Physics Research Center). Or monitoring of the P-1 and P-2 centrifuges which it purchased from Pakistan.

Iran delenda est.
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Answer 9

So, they can feel invisible against the world ....