The Iranian nuclear crisis is assuming more and more
incalculable forms. Iran’s government acts unyieldingly towards the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the western negotiating partners.
They explain their stubbornness with the economic argument that the use of
nuclear technology for energy generation is a necessity for Iran’s development
and economic advancement. The government even abuses this question as a vital
question for the Iranian nation.
Iran’s arguments concerning the control of the complete closed circuit for
nuclear technology including the controversial domestic uranium enrichment are
both politically and economically as well as scientifically motivated.
Political Motives
Since its establishment the Iranian government feels threatened by
the USA and Israel so that many strategists of the Islamic regime openly or
secretly advocate the development and production of nuclear weapons against this
threat. For one thing Iran is surrounded by US troops from all sides which is
seen as an acute threat in Iran. The powers that be in Iran are under the
impression that they would be invulnerable against the world and especially
against the USA who is hostile against them and Islam, and that they could
govern the country for ever by the possession of nuclear weapons. For another
thing their fellow-believers, the Palestinians, are defencelessly at the mercy
of the superior forces of Israel that would reason and cause the military taking
of sides by Iran in case of a threatening Israeli attack against the
Palestinians in this conflict. Iran, in possession of an Islamic nuclear weapon,
could protect Palestine against such attacks because Israel would always have to
envisage a reaction by Iran.
Iran’s first political motive bases on the assumption that
Iran as a nuclear power would be invulnerable from the outside as well as from
the inside as in the North-Korean case. But the mere control of nuclear
technology and the possession of a few atomic bombs as in the case of Pakistan
does neither constitute national nor regional stability. On the contrary, this
strategy causes a competition in nuclear armament in the other countries in that
region as well and threatens their stability. Besides, the comparison with
North-Korea fails because the economic, political, and strategic importance of
Iran is vital for the stability and security of the region so that the western
countries will not tolerate an Iran with nuclear weapons in direct proximity to
important oil resources. However, North-Korea is a small and isolated country
that does not pose any menace to the world community.
The second political motive bases on the premise of a potential threat against
the Islamic world by the Israeli atomic bomb. The Islamic countries must brush
with this Israeli superior force against the Palestinians and the Islamic world
with an own “Islamic atomic bomb”, as stated by the Iranian strategists.
However, the argument of protection can already be rebutted after a superficial
reflection as it would miss its target because, regarding the geographical
location of the hot spot, a nuclear attack by Iran against Israel would not only
lead to the destruction of Israel but also of Palestine, Lebanon, and even parts
of Jordan. In fact the use of certain weapons for the protection of human beings
who will even be killed over the course of an attack with the same weapons is
not only paradox but also cynical and absurd. In case of a nuclear attack by
Iran against Israel both the Israelis and the Palestinians will sustain the same
fate, namely a total destruction. Concerning this question neither the Arabic
nor the Israeli neighbours in that region will benefit from an Islamic atomic
bomb. Apart from that, the USA and the western states will not tolerate a
nuclear attack against Israel so that Iran would have to reckon with a
devastating counter attack by the USA. For this reason an Iranian armed attack
against Israel would resemble suicide and the own elimination of Iran.
Economic motives
Another official explanation by Iran for the acquisition of nuclear
technology is its peaceful use for energy generation which is in all other
countries under discussion in connection with a diversification of energy
resources and a reduction of the dependency on scarce natural sources of energy
like petroleum, gas or coal and which is not an Iran-specified debate. But the
difference between Iran and the other countries is just that in contrast to most
other countries Iran swims on a sea of natural energy sources like petroleum and
gas and does not have to fear any energy shortage in the medium-term.
The Iranian supporters of a peaceful usage of nuclear technology have not yet
taken a stock of the costs and the profit of the energy generation in the atomic
power plants. Even the amount of expenses so far for the previous investments in
this technology are still in the dark. How many billions of dollars have already
been legally and illegally spent in such plants without having produced a single
kilowatt?
What is true is that, although Iran will not have any practical or strategic
need for nuclear energy for the long term because of its vast energy reserves,
the Iranian government is carrying an extensive and expensive as well as
dangerous program through. The dangerous aspect about this program are not only
the political or military consequences, but also the risks on technical and
geographical grounds. A small human or technical mistake could cause a
catastrophe that would be more devastating than in Tschernobil. Moreover, two
aspects in Iranian culture, namely the negligent handling of rules and the blind
trust in technology, additionally increase the danger. Furthermore, Iran is
constantly at risk because of earthquakes. Last but not least, the outdated
Russian nuclear technologies are to be mentioned. Iran has isolated itself by
its foreign policies and is affected by the embargo by the western countries,
especially by the USA, so that the country is denied the affiliation to
technological innovations in this branch. Consequently the Iranian nuclear
program solely banks on old Russian technologies which do not conform to
international security standards.
One of the consequences of the rigid insistence on the complete control of the
closed circuit for nuclear technology including the uranium enrichment, which
contains a double function in its use (peaceful as well as military), by the
government in Teheran is that the Iranian nuclear program is questioned in its
entirety, even the branches, like the medical use of nuclear technology etc.,
that are not considered as abusive. Here, Iran will miss the affiliation to
international standards as well.
If the Islamic regime, who allegedly has the advancement and the economic
development of the country in mind, had invested even a fractional amount of
what they have spent on the purchase of obsolete nuclear technologies in
production plants for photovoltaic for the purpose of generation of electricity
by solar energy the country would have been in possession of a forward-looking
technology and thereby, would have been able to produce the biggest part of its
need for energy as huge parts of the country have an intensive solar radiation
in most of the months during the year. Besides, Iran would have put itself in
the position of generating new jobs in a forward-looking and innovative segment
which are, concerning the high unemployment, urgently needed. Additionally there
would have been the opportunity of exporting such products into the whole region
that is highly sunny as well.
The government in Teheran threatens the stability in
the region
For the reasons mentioned above Iran does not need nuclear technology
from the political, military, economical or ecological view, neither for civil
nor for military use. Quite the opposite, the rigid pursuit of the nuclear
program by the regime in Teheran will not only lead to further isolation of the
country but it will also increase the danger of military escalation and
political instability in the region. And the only one who bares the blame is the
government in Teheran.
This text is a summary of the article “Nuclear technology is not vital for Iran”
by Dr. Behrooz Bayat available on www.urenco.de
اعلامیه
جهانی حقوق بشر
