The United States Interest in the Middle East and Iran’s Nuclear Programme.
Abstract
Nuclear issues are back on the global political agenda. Hardly a day goes by without a reference to the ongoing crisis in Iran. Unfortunately mitigating the nuclear dangers of the twenty first century is no less challenging, and perhaps more difficult, than it was during the era of cold war.
It is for this fact that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed in 1968, which came into force in 1970 as the centerpiece of the global non-proliferation regime.
However, the recent move by Iran to develop nuclear technology and capacity, has been causing serious disquiet in the globe, in addition to the volatile nature of the Middle East as the haven of rogue states.
The study investigates the synergy between the existential threat faced by Israel in the hand of Nuclear Iran in one hand and the national interests of United States in the Middle East on the other vis-à-vis the United States insistence in denuclearizing Iran.
The study made use of secondary sources of data collections such as textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines, conference papers, official documents and Internet resources.
The qualitative descriptive method of data analysis is used. The theory of power served as our theoretical framework of analysis.
The study revealed that while America is seeking to protect its interests and that of its allies in the Middle East, Iran on the hand seeks to enhance its military capacity at the face of real and perceived military attack from America and its allies in the Persian Gulf especially its long standing enemy, Israel.
The study recommends that both the US and Iran should seek diplomatic solution to resolve this face-off rather than military solution; which appear both impeding and inevitable.
Introduction
Background Of Study
The threat of global nuclear war between the US and Russia has decreased dramatically during the last couple of decades.
Unfortunately, mitigating the nuclear dangers of the twenty first century is no less challenging, and perhaps more difficult, than it was during the cold war.
More nations have acquired or are seeking nuclear weapons. It is for this fact that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed in 1968, which came into force in 1970 as the centerpiece of the global non-proliferation regime that codified the international political norm of non-nuclear-weapons status (U.S. Department of State).
It attempts to curb proliferation through a mix of incentives and disincentives.
In return for intrusive end-use control over imported nuclear and nuclear-related technology and material, non-nuclear- weapon-states were granted access to nuclear technology, components and material on a most-favored-nation basis.
The US has played a key role in international efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons since the beginning of the nuclear age, and it was one of the main architects of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970.
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