| On April 1st, 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran | | | | gas for export, but Iran's uranium reserves are |
| was born under the leadership of Ayatollah | | | | minuscule, accounting for less than one percent of |
| Khomeini. The Ayatollah returned to Iran at the | | | | its vast oil reserves. Iran controls 11 percent of |
| end of the Islamic Revolution, after having spent | | | | the world's oil reserves and its natural gas |
| 14 years in exile. This past month Iran | | | | reserves are the second largest in the world. Iran |
| commemorated these events by showcasing its | | | | does not have enough indigenous uranium |
| military strength. It conducted a series of missile | | | | resources to fuel even one power-generating |
| tests and large-scale military maneuvers involving | | | | reactor over its lifetime, but it does have enough |
| tens of thousands of troops and over 1500 naval | | | | uranium to make several nuclear bombs. |
| vessels. | | | | According to a report by the U.S. State |
| Iran launched its arms development program | | | | Department on Iran's nuclear program: ''...The |
| during the 1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate | | | | costly infrastructure needed to perform all of |
| for a U.S. weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has | | | | these activities goes well beyond any conceivable |
| produced its own tanks, armored personnel | | | | peaceful nuclear program. No comparable oil-rich |
| carriers, missiles and a fighter plane. Recently, | | | | nation has ever engaged, or would be engaged, in |
| they have test-fired a new radar-dodging and | | | | this set of activities - or would pursue them for |
| multi-targeting missile, an underwater high-speed | | | | nearly two decades behind a continuing cloud of |
| missile and a new medium-range land-to-sea | | | | secrecy and lies to IAEA inspectors and the |
| missile. | | | | international community - unless it was dead set |
| Iran has also successfully tested what it calls a | | | | on building nuclear weapons.'' |
| ''supermodern flying boat.'' Iran claims that the | | | | Enrichment Breakthrough |
| flying boat was entirely ''made in Iran'' and that it | | | | On April 11th, Iran declared that it had ''joined the |
| can move at high speeds and avoid radar | | | | nuclear club.'' Iranian officials announced that they |
| detection. The United States said it was possible | | | | had, for the first time, successfully enriched |
| Iran had developed weapons that could evade | | | | uranium to make nuclear fuel. The announcement |
| sonar and radar but warned the Islamic Republic | | | | marks a major breakthrough in Iran's nuclear |
| had a tendency to ''boast and exaggerate.'' | | | | program. Iran stated publicly that it had achieved |
| Nuclear Iran | | | | a 3.5 percent level of uranium enrichment. |
| These recent missile tests and war games | | | | Again, Iran has said that its goal is not to make |
| coincide with increasing tensions between Iran and | | | | nuclear weapons, but to develop nuclear energy. |
| the West over Tehran's controversial nuclear | | | | This leads us to another important question: If |
| program. The United States and its allies believe | | | | Iran does develop a peaceful nuclear energy |
| Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but | | | | program, how difficult would it be to use that |
| Tehran denies this, saying its program is for | | | | same technology to make nuclear weapons? |
| peaceful purposes. The UN Security Council has | | | | Nuclear power plants need 3 to 4 percent |
| demanded that Iran halt its uranium enrichment | | | | enriched uranium for fuel, but natural uranium only |
| activities, but so far Tehran has refused. | | | | contains 0.7 percent. Thus uranium must be |
| The Shkval | | | | processed in a uranium enrichment facility before |
| Military experts have taken particular interest in | | | | it can be used as fuel for nuclear power. |
| Iran's test of a high-speed underwater missile. Iran | | | | What most people don't realize is the exact same |
| claims the missile is capable of carrying multiple | | | | technology and equipment used to enrich uranium |
| warheads at speeds of up to 225 mph. Speaking | | | | for fuel can be used to enrich uranium for nuclear |
| on state television, a high-ranking Iranian military | | | | weapons; it simply requires more passes through |
| commander said the missile has been in | | | | the enrichment plant. A nuclear bomb requires |
| development for six years, and ''even if an | | | | about 90 percent enriched uranium, which is high |
| enemy warship's sonar can detect the missile, no | | | | compared to the percentage found in fuel, but |
| warship can escape from this missile because of | | | | according to experts it requires more energy to |
| its high speed.'' | | | | convert natural uranium to fuel than it takes to |
| He called it the fastest underwater missile in the | | | | convert fuel into weapons-grade uranium. |
| world - but it has the same speed as the | | | | The Fallout |
| Russian-made Shkval (''Squall''), developed in 1995 | | | | Iran is governed by Shiite Muslim clerics |
| and believed to be the world's fastest, three or | | | | committed to a stern interpretation of Islamic law. |
| four times faster than a torpedo. Many experts | | | | Hatred of the United States has been a key |
| believe that Iran's underwater missile - called the | | | | component of Iranian foreign policy since the 1978 |
| ''Hoot'' or ''Whale'' - is in fact Russian made, or at | | | | Islamic revolution, and Iran's leaders often refer to |
| the very least its design is based on the Shkval. | | | | the United States as the ''Great Satan.'' |
| The Russian Shkval is an exceptionally high-speed | | | | Iran's distaste for the United States is surpassed |
| underwater torpedo. It is reported to attain | | | | only by their utter loathing of Israel. Iran's political |
| almost 200 knots, giving its target little | | | | and religious leaders have repeatedly called for |
| opportunity for evasive maneuvers. Apparently | | | | Israel to be ''wiped off the map.'' They have also |
| fired from standard 533mm torpedo tubes, the | | | | denounced any attempts to recognize Israel or |
| Shkval has a range of about 7,500 yards. The | | | | normalize relations with it. |
| weapon clears the tube at 50 knots, after which | | | | A nuclear-armed Iran would be a serious threat to |
| its rocket fires. By creating a local ''envelope'' of | | | | our security. However, with troops already |
| supercavitating bubbles, the weapon can achieve | | | | deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush |
| its spectacular speed. | | | | appears - at least for the time being - to be |
| Examining Iran's Motives | | | | committed to finding a diplomatic solution to the |
| Iran has announced plans to start building a new | | | | standoff. Some experts have speculated that |
| nuclear plant in an undisclosed location. | | | | Israel may be planning a preemptive strike, |
| Construction on the plant will begin this year, and | | | | although military action would most likely be used |
| it will contain 3,000 enrichment centrifuges - small | | | | as a last resort. |
| for the production of nuclear fuel but ample to | | | | In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear |
| make fissile material for nuclear weapons. | | | | reactor when it believed Saddam Hussein was |
| Iran claims that under Article 4 of the | | | | close to producing a nuclear bomb. If Israel does |
| Non-Proliferation Treaty they have the right to | | | | attack Iran it would undoubtedly bring about a |
| develop nuclear technology. Iran insists that it is | | | | firestorm in the Middle East. Unfortunately we are |
| pursuing nuclear technology for peaceful energy | | | | running out of time, and neither Israel nor the |
| purposes, but that leads to the obvious question: | | | | United States is willing to accept the possibility of |
| why would a nation with immense oil and gas | | | | a nuclear-armed Iran. What happens if diplomacy |
| reserves need nuclear energy? Iran claims it is | | | | continues to fail? Will military action become our |
| building costly nuclear fuel-cycle facilities to meet | | | | only option? |
| future electricity needs, while preserving oil and | | | | |