The world at large, and especially the United States, stands at a crossroads to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear power. Recent United Nations reports indicate a startling increase in Iran’s stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched, after a surprise enrichment boost declared in December. Warning signs flash that Iran’s 60 percent fissile pure uranium is just short of the 90 percent threshold for nuclear weapons, a threshold unnecessary for civilian nuclear use.
Despite efforts by pressure from the Trump administration, diplomatic avenues are fast closing, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cautioned. The IAEA report indicated Iran’s 60 percent enriched uranium stockpile increased by 92.5 kg in the last quarter alone to a total of 274.8 kg material enough for the production of potentially six nuclear bombs if it is further enriched.
Iran’s foreign minister himself has clearly made it known that direct negotiations with the United States are not even on the cards as long as Washington maintains maximum pressure policies. Iran plans to pursue its nuclear ambitions in tandem with allies like Russia and China, especially since Trump withdrew from the nuclear accord in 2018, which had imposed rigorous limits on Iran’s nuclear programme.
The imperative of diplomatic intervention is added to by the threat of war; if Iran proceeds with its nuclear aspirations, war becomes increasingly probable. There have been reports of Israeli air raids against Iranian targets, with Israel having reportedly identified Iranian nuclear sites as possible targets.
Experts opine that if Iran succeeds in developing nuclear weapons, it could trigger a regional arms race. The IAEA reports underscore the gravity of the situation, as the danger of an Iranian nuclear state increases bigger than ever before, threatening to pull the region into further chaos.
