http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/ten-reasons-iran-doesnt-want-the-bomb-7802

1. Religious Obligations: Besides an international commitment to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has religious obligations against nuclear weapons. Based on the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s religious edict or fatwa, the use of nuclear weapons and all other types of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) is forbidden or haram—constituting a sin, while being useless, costly, harmful and a serious threat to humanity. Iran’s authorities were informed about this religious view in 1995, eight years prior to Iran’s enrichment program became known to the West. Leaving no room for discrepancy, all Muslim Shia grand ayatollahs have issued the same religious fatwa.

Iran’s stance against weapons of mass destruction, which is far from new, has been put to the test. During the Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Hussein ordered chemical weapons to be used against Iran in the 1980s, resulting in 100,000 Iranian soldiers and civilians being killed or injured. Iran did not retaliate in kind primarily because Imam Ruhollah Khomeini wasagainst the use of weapons of mass destruction based on religious beliefs.

2. No Long-Term Advantage: Based on Iranian assessments, the possession of nuclear weapons would provide only a short-term regional advantage that would turn into a longer-term vulnerability. It would trigger a regional nuclear arms race, bringing Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia into the fold sooner or later.

3. Technology Choices: The technical configurations Iran has chosen for its nuclear program demonstrate a preference for a robust enrichment capability rather than for a rapid nuclear weapons breakout capability. Iran’s development program is focused on next-generation nuclear technologies, rather than mass production or maximum installation of centrifuges. There are more advantageous configurations Iran could implement if it was determined to acquire weapons in the near term.

Iran has shown no urgency to advance its nuclear dual-use efforts. Even the activities detailed in the November 2011 International Atomic Energy Agency report are not directed at any specific nuclear weaponization. According to Robert Kelly, an American top nuclear expert and the former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector, the report was misleading and aimed to bolster hardliners “by taking information and feeding it as raw meat to people who want to move forward with war.”

4. Isolation: Iran recognizes that by becoming a nuclear weapons state, it will compel Russia and China to join the United States and implement devastating sanctions that would paralyze the Iranian economy.

Iran recognizes that becoming a nuclear weapons state would give the Israelis ample ammunition to rally the United States and the international community on a perceived existential threat to its existence for creating another war in the Middle East.

5. Aspirations: Iran’s ultimate strategy is to be a modern nation, fully capable of competing with the West in terms of advanced technologies. The majority of Iran’s prominent politicians believe that possessing nuclear weapons would be an obstacle in the long-term for Iran’s access to vast technological cooperation with developed countries. They do not want to see Iran come under the kind of extreme international isolation levied against North Korea.

6. Goodwill: During negotiations from 2003 to 2005, with Iran and France, Germany, and the UK (the EU-3), Iran submitted proposals which included a declaration to cap enrichment at 5 percent; to export all low-enriched uranium or fabricate it into fuel rods; to commit to an additional protocol to its IAEA safeguards agreement and subsidiary arrangements to the agreement, which would provide maximum transparency; to allow the IAEA to make snap inspections of undeclared facilities; and to ship its enriched uranium to another country for fabrication into fuel rods for Tehran Research Reactor. Similarly, Iran welcomed the Russian step-by-step proposal in the summer of 2011, which addressed all the West’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities.

These offers were intended to ensure that no enriched uranium would be diverted to a nuclear weapons program in the future. That’s why the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman recently said: “Iran, in order to prove its goodwill, has even gone beyond the commitments enumerated in the agency’s regulations.” But the United States and EU still rejected the offer.

7. No Stockpile: Accusations levied against Iran for stockpiling enriched uranium to build nuclear weapon are misleading, since Iran requires 27 tons of uranium enriched at 3.5 percent level annually to provide fuel for its only nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Up to now, Iran has produced about 7 tons and needs an additional 20 tons.

8. Enrichment Offers: The West’s biggest concern and therefore highest priority in nuclear talks have centered on Iran’s 20 percent enriched uranium. First in February 2010 and for the second time in September 2011, Iran proposed to stop its 20 percent enrichment in return for fuel rods—and once again the West declined. At a meeting between EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Iran’s leading nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on September 19, Iran once again offered to suspend its enrichment of uranium to 20 percent, provided proportionate reciprocation would be taken by P5+1. "If they give us the 20 percent [enriched] fuel, we will immediately halt 20 percent [enrichment]," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Iranian state-run television. But Europe responded to his goodwill by placing more sanctions.

9. Deterrence: A major accusation levied against Iran is that once it acquires nuclear weapons, it will use it against the United States and Israel. This makes no rational sense, since any provocation by Iran against two states that possess thousands and hundreds of nuclear weapons respectively would result in Iran’s total annihilation. Iran has publically acknowledged this fact.

10. Forget Regime Change: The view of some U.S. politicians is that Iran’s motive for seeking nuclear weapons is nuclear deterrence—to ensure Washington would not attack it at will, instigate regime change or reach its objectives. If this concern is accurate, then Iran’s nuclear weapons could be used to prevent war—a positive outcome. But this concern relies on the wrong premise, as Iran has not aimed to acquire nuclear weapons in the face of a concerted effort by the United States and the West to engineer regime change in Tehran, including the use of war. During eight years of Iraqi aggression against Iran, the United States and the West did their utmost to support the aggressor and yet failed to bring defeat to Iran. Paradoxically for some, Iran without nuclear weapons has become more powerful year after year in the past 34 years, stymying Western efforts to bring about the collapse of the regime. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israeli positions in the region have declined despite the thousands of nuclear weapons between them.

The Deal

These are just a few reasons the West should enter into a genuine, face saving and realistic solution—rather than continuing to push aggressively and ineffectively against Iranian nuclear development.

Tehran would only accept a deal in which the P5+1 recognizes Iran’s legitimate rights of enrichment under the NPT and gradually lifts the sanctions. In return, to assuage Western worries, Iran would operationalize Ayatollah Khamenei’s fatwa banning nuclear arms, implement the Additional Protocol and the Subsidiary Arrangements (Code 3.1), and cooperate with the IAEA to resolve technical ambiguities and its worries about possible military dimensions. It would also export its enriched uranium stockpile beyond domestic consumption or convert it to fuel rods, cap enrichment at 5 percent, and establish a multilateral consortium for enrichment in Iran.

This package can guarantee Iran’s legitimate NPT rights of enrichment while ensuring that Iran will remain a non-nuclear-weapon state forever.

Sorry but at least to me the only long term solution here is to invade, and take out the religious theocracy that rules there but we screwed up in Iran something fierce. Right now our best option is to sit back and when they test a nuke finally we invade with no warning. If they test a bomb Israel WILL attack them. This whole argument sounds nice on paper but frankly falls far too short of reality.

You need to have robust enrichment to make weapons grade fissionable. How do you think Pitchblend eventually becomes Uranium fuel? And although the text books say that U238 cannot be used to make bomb fuel where U235 is you are being fed a lie. BOTH can be made in to a weapon. The difference is the power derived from the reaction. A bomb made of a lesser fissile just makes a smaller and dirtier blast. The better fuel just burns cleaner (metaphorically!) hence a greater yield of destructive power.

And one other thing, just because some Cleric issued a Fatwa doesn't mean their fellows are held to such an Obligation. Fatwas are issued as regularly as Obama's political position changes!

I find absolutely no solace in your argument Iran has peaceful intentions especially when they have said a number of times they want to wipe Israel off the map. What easier way than a preemptive nuclear strike to accomplish that? The way to hell is paved with good intentions!

Top 10 Reasons Iran does not want the bomb

10. Radiation is scary and they don't want to touch Uranium.
9. Already have devastating "camel bombs"!
8. North Korea has promised to protect them.
7. They need all their resources to suppress their own population.
6. The underground centrifuges are needed for biological weapons development.
5. Sexy weapons are too exciting for men and they will have to put hijabs on all of the warheads.
4. Saudi Arabia told them they don't need the bomb.
3. Afraid of Obama.
2. Iranian people are poor and starving.
1. Ahmadinejad would never do anything to jeopardize his warm relationship with Jews and Israelis!

Some people and countries learn faster than others I guess...

Have at her big guy!

sorry but I have to put in my 2 cents here..

far as I'm aware.. if you back ANY species into a corner.. one thing typically WILL happen:
1) they will fight back
and in some cases.. they will fight to the death
no matter.. they will do EVERYthing humanly possible to retake their freedoms

in my neck of the woods.. we were taught at an early age to RESPECT other peoples belief systems even though we didn't necessarily believe in OR agree with them.. but instead we should do the right thing in encouraging a 'live and LET live' atmosphere.. I've no right to impose my values on others so isn't it natural that they want to fight back to preserve THEIR way of life (as long as they are NOT imposing on others to do so).. however when we hear people shout the NEED to inVADE and change anothers ideology(OR theology).. it would be akin to bullying or dictatorship.. no??

I won't speak for anyone else but.. if someone came to MY home and starting dictating how I should act, what I should believe, and so on.. I'd be pretty pizzed and believe you me.. I'd FIGHT BACK! just sayin.. just because ONE country thinks a certain way.. doesn't give them the rights to impose those same beliefs on others! but.. that's JMO though...

This is amusing. Everyone who suggest invasion will be sitting behind a keypad while others do the actual fighting and dieing. Secondly, North Korea has just launched a balistic missle designed to reach us and who are we worried about? Iran. Some people should just turn their televisions offf because their brains are off while the t.v is on.

No kidding!!!

It's so absurd, it can only come from armchair Generals on Mingle

So you would tolerate someone who lives in the belief they should kill you because you don't worship or pray their way?
You need to read a Qur'an...

If Iran does not want the bomb then all they have to do is dismantle
their underground fortified enrichment facilities and turn over all
their uranium processing to outside sources.

Iran could in this way assure everyone that they do not have any
intention of developing nuclear weapons while obtaining as much
reactor grade uranium that they could want.

Iran has been offered this solution from day one but they reject it
and instead work on nuclear weapons grade enrichment progress in the
fortified underground installations.

Actions speak louder than words.

Freedoms? Iran is one of the most repressive terrorist supporters in
the world and while they work feverishly on developing nuclear arms
capabilities they continue to call for the extermination of Israelis
when Israel really does have all the freedoms that Iran lacks.

This has nothing to do with freedom - except the freedom of Israel
and other countries to be protected from radical Islamic Iranian
extremists.

Iran should not have the freedom to fund terrorists to attack the US
and Israel. Iran should not have the freedom to build nuclear weapons
to arm terrorists attacking the US and Israel. Iran should not have
the freedom to threaten to harm Israel (which they call the little
Satan) or the US (which they call the Great Satan).

Iran should not have the freedom to violently repress their own
citizens, criminalize what women wear as clothing or criminalize
higher education of females etc etc..

In short, Iran's freedoms should end when it comes to violent
attacks and threats against others. Iran's freedoms should end when
it comes to radical repression. Particularly when it comes
to the development of weapons of mass destruction capability because
of Iran's demonstrated history of attacking innocent people with
their support of terrorist actions, the world must be vigilant
against terrorist sponsors developing such horrific weapons capabilities.

who said ANYthing about tolerance?? seems you may have had a case of 'selective reading' on my post.. please re-read the bold print.. that right there doesn't condone tolerance.. that's an attitude of LIVE 'n let LIVE.. and probably why Canada doesn't initiate wars.. and ALSO probably why our wonderful country is one of THE most respected for being peace keepers, clean up crew and re-builders..

so tell me.. what have they done to YOU..? have they forced YOU to believe their way of worship? or are you allowed to make your OWN choices?
have they invaded your home incessantly with daily bombings and machine gun fire? have they forced YOU to live in fear OR stand by and watch helpless and hopeless while your children die before your very eyes?

last I checked we were living in countries that have many MORE freedoms than most..

we here in America have the greatest and the most weapons of mass destruction. Iran did not drop two atomic bombs on Japan killing men, women, and children. Iran did not use "agent orange " on civilians during the Vietnam war. Iran did not bomb Iraqi civilians for 13 years. Iran did not overthrow their goverment of Mohammad Mossadegh, we did. Iran did not assasanate the soveregn leader of Libya nor did they kill Sadaam, both criminal gangster tactics. In fact we used and equipted Huisein in his 8 year war with Iran, then turned on him. That fact is Americans are in great denial of the US goverments role in their constant destablization of third world nations. And before you obliviouse fox news wathers call it America bashing, may I suggest you study for yourself they role we play in the world stage.

They call us the great Satan because they are aware of our historical involvment in destablizing and supporting regimes for economic self interests. We say stupid things like "we should not allow Iran to suppress its people", right, like we really give a crap. Revolution can not be imported. If thats the case, we would not have supported Egypts Mubarek nor Saddam who supposebly suppressed their people, we said nothing because supporting his regime we secured vital strategic positioning in both the gulf and the straite of Hormuz. We support Saudi Arabia who also supress their people, we dont give a crap, as long as Saudi Arabia continues giving us access to the launching pads to our fighter jets in the event of a Iranian conflict. And all the tough tonies on datesites war mongering, I highly doubt many will line up to serve. The Iranians know alot about us, but the American people only think they know, and know nothing, many dont even know where Iran is.

Because Presstv says they don't want the bomb?

This is the real reason we are the great satan. First, we offer aide to a country that has resources we require to maintain our standard of economic dominance. When we establish that a country has great deposits of say lithium, well then we will call our friends in the IMF or our other buddies in the high echelons of international banking of which all the bigwigs on the boards are American and multinational gangsters, we submitt and loan application for say infrastruture upgrading in your poor country. That country uses the loan. Problem comes after the banks exuberant interest rates start taking its toll. The bank begins forcloser proceedings on outstanding balances. When said country fails to negociate off setting debt, well then the bank then present alternatives to regain lost incentives due to outstanding debt. Now comes the game. We will forgive the debt all together in return for total access to various deposits of raw materials, refine the raw material and triple the prices and resell to that country for prices that will keep them in further debt. Meanwhile the banks take control of the initial project and awarding the contracts to outside that contry most likely buddies who have companies that will provide the work being done then hire native as cheap labor. Now comes trouble. The natives begin becoming hostile because these outside companies have created new markets for native products while natives live on slave labor. They begin to protest. Opposition to the goverment grows for allowing the greedy yankees to control. The goverment then starts to heed, but the corporations then decide that the billion that stand to be made are now being threatened. So they go to those opposing the goverment and offer them a deal. We then finance and instigate by encouraging insurrection towards their own goverment. We will provide weapons, intelligence survalence, and neutralize anyone and encourage more inserection. When the goverment falls, those we supported and helped will be in our debt. Our elite forces will kill anyone. But before all this can come to fruitation, we will season the American people for 3-4 years of constant bombardment regarding the "terrorists" in that nation, a nation surpressed, we must give them demacracy. The media bombardment upon the American people is the key to success. Because they know Americans are mostly watching "desperate housewives" or just plain stupid. The level of stupidity is what allows success. Every thirdworld nation knows it as well as most of the world. But our denial coupled with our false sence of entitlement are just plain dumb.

My bad. I missed the Bold part. Can you forgive me?

And now for a bitter dose of reality. If I did call the shots I would pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq and mobilize everything we had for an all out furball in N Korea. That would mean massing up in Taiwan, S Korea, and of course a little sucking up to the Vietnamese who really now are beginning to realize China never had their interests as a nation in mind at all. They were allies of Convenience like the were with us in WWII but strangely they do admit they did benefit from our presence more so than other nations since the highway system the have was built by us initially and from what I understand is still in use and added on to. God how that one worked against us. We built the very road the VC used to chase us out. But of course with that in the past and us here in the now I am sure Vietnam would like to know they have rights to some of the Yellow Sea. That way when we DO get N Korea to make the first move and we cross the boarder if China decides to try out their new underwater missile on us we can demonstrate what a retaliatory nuclear strike feels like because they are not going to use a conventional warhead to sink a carrier. So with that in mind having other nations poised to let us go into N Korea, take out that fat communist dictator pig and hand the nation promptly over to S Korea who can then go through the moves to reunite finally all the while China can bluster and squawk all the while at the UN how WE offended them and THEIR treaty with N Korea all the while the ambassador of S Korea as well as other nations tell them to piss off. If the Chinese choose to invade Korea while we attempt to end this charade once and for all we begin an invasion for Beijing right from Taiwan! and instead of being civil about it we get completely Medieval on them! break out the WMDs and let the world see what horror war can be since some many nations are so eager to threaten it. Frankly there are a lot of people who I would relish to toss in the front of the line. Hmmmmmm, Dead Kennedy's song... KILL ALL THE POOR COMES TO MIND. So many worthless people, why not make them useful as cannon fodder? That way we can spare real soldiers the backstabbing whiners who tie their hands with gay policies and vote for weak wristed politicians who scatter our troops to the wind with no disregardful for their lives!

OH BUT I AM TOO UNREALISTIC AND DRACONIAN... Frankly ONE well placed shot with a Neutron Bomb would end that problem neatly! JUST ONE! Right on their capital for their big Mayday parade! Just when Dear Leader and his entire cabinet and all their pretty little shiny toy soldiers are all lined up parading around. All we would need is just the HINT they were threatening to launch a weapon especially if they claim it is just a test. I would even take an Airburst from them as a reason to launch a all out nuke strike on them!

But that isn't civil, is it? So you talk about being worried about the N Koreans? I have been worried about them for years but too many of our war monger politicians want us in Syria and dancing around in the Middle East when we need to be facing down a real possibility the N Koreans will launch a preemptive strike on us. Thankfully we do have anti ballistic missile systems. Thank god for Standard Missile III! And the Israeli Iron Dome is a cut down version of what we have indeed been working on so it isn't like we are completely defenseless. We are just spineless. Does Obama have the balls to retaliate in kind?

I DOUBT IT HIGHLY!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/julian-borger-global-security-blog/2011/jun/08/iran-blogging

'The day after Iran's first nuclear test is a normal day'

A bizarre article on a Revolutionary Guard website breaks a taboo by anticipating the impact of an Iranian bomb