Iran Nuclear Deal: Implications of the Framework Agreement

This edited volume consists of nine chapters that deal with various aspects of the Iranian nuclear agreement reached on 2 April 2015. Opening with a technical assessment of the Iranian nuclear agreement by Sheel Kant Sharma, the monograph has two chapters focusing on regional reactions: an Israeli perspective authored by Emily Landau, and Gulf reactions written by Kanchi Gupta. Two chapters analysing the three major-power perspectives are included: the US perspective, written by Sylvia Mishra and Uma Purushothaman; the Russian perspective authored by Petr Topychkanov; and the European perspective, by Britta Petersen. Two chapters in the volume are focused on the Indian perspective, one by Arka Biswas providing an overall assessment of India’s response to the Iran nuclear agreement, and a second one by Akhilesh Sati, exploring the possible implications on India’s energy security. Lastly, Rakesh Sood has authored a chapter looking into the impact of the Iranian nuclear agreement on the global non-proliferation architecture.

On 14 July 2015, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, (namely, United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China) and Germany, whimsically dubbed, P5+1, and the EU reached an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program. Under the terms of the deal, Iran’s nuclear program is to be used for purely peaceful purposes, in exchange for a broad suspension of U.S., European Union (EU), and United Nations sanctions. Iran agreed to refrain from any further advances of its activities at the Natanz commercial-scale facility, Fordow facility, and Arak reactor. Tehran is also required to provide the IAEA with additional information about its nuclear program, as well as access to some nuclear-related facilities to which Iran’s IAEA safeguards agreement does not require access. To understand the nature and scope of the Iranian deal and its implication on contemporary international politics, the present study examined the secondary sources to ascertain the following questions: What are the origins and development of the Iranian nuclear programme? How have states in the international system, particularly the US and other members of the UN Security Council, reacted to the Iranian nuclear programme? To what extent has US and its negotiating allies employed diplomacy in the resolution of the issues emanating from the Iranian nuclear crises. What are the economic, political and diplomatic implications of the Iranian deal for contemporary international politics? The paper combines a theoretical approach with historical and contemporary perspectives in nuclear diplomacy in order to comprehensively depict the evolution of the Iranian nuclear deal and its implications on international politics. The paper finds that the deal is expected to have implications for Middle East regional stability and political economy; US – Iran rapprochement, rivalry with Saudi Arabia, economic effect on sale of crude oil of other oil exporting states such as Nigeria and a decline in relations between Iran and Israel, while bolstering relations with the US. Using power theory to explain why power and national interest is paramount in the calculations of the negotiating parties as well as situating the winners and losers in the process of diplomatic bargaining within the game theory, the paper concludes that the deal is sound diplomacy but a product of international politics that further legitimizes the possession of weapons in the hands of nuclear power states and their allies in perpetuity.

Journal of emerging technologies and innovative research, 2019

Nuclear capability of Iran has always been a controversial topic that raised discussions and debates among the key players, especially over the past decades. Iran Nuclear Deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed among the major players in international relations in the year 2015 has brought significant changes in Iran’s relations with the neighbouring nations and the member states of JCPOA. The agreement which includes strict restrictions on Iran’s nuclear capability in exchange for its release from economic sanctions is considered to be a win-win deal. The deal has recently been the in the news as the US withdrew from the deal raising doubts over the future of the deal. This paper examines the history of Iran’s nuclear programme, the involvement of the key players in international relations in the nuclear programme, the Nuclear Deal and its implications in the regional and world politics. Index terms – Iran Nuclear Deal, JCPOA, Iran, US, nuclear energy, nuclear enrichment,...

The Middle East region can ill-afford destabilising conflicts which entail violent extremism, proxy warfare, and nuclear proliferation. The United States has restrained Iran " s nuclear programme through successful application of soft power. Iran " s possible return to the mainstream community i.e. opening trade and diplomatic relations, after the nuclear deal, has caused escalation in Arab concerns and Saudi-Iranian tensions. This situation calls for a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The implementation process of nuclear safety and security under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) provides an opportunity to regional states to move towards an inclusive regional forum. There needs to be a complex and multi-layered cooperative framework to reduce the region " s vulnerability to shifting geopolitical preferences within and beyond and improve regional stability.

Tayyar ARI, 2015

Iran's nuclear program and missiles have been a source of concern for the U.S. government and the international community. There are two difficult questions for Washington's concerns. One is how to change Iran's hard line policy and the second is to prevent Iran to be a nuclear power. Iran, on the other hand, has insisted that its nuclear program has been on the right of having nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Fortunately, nuclear bargaining after a long-lasting negotiation has been finalized on 14 July 2015 with a comprehensive treaty. But there are some questions which are not resolved yet about the implementation and reflection of the Deal on regional and global power balance. According to some analysis, the Iranian approach to regional problems in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen would be a test, for some others, the nuclear deal and regional problems should be taken differently. However, there are real distrusts among Iran and the P5+1 countries.

Asian Defence Review, 2017

The paper maps Iran's consistent enrichment quest since the 1950's. The conclusion of the JCPOA legitimised the Iranian enrichment quest under the NPT within pre-set and mutually agreed restraints.

Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament

After almost 20 months of intense negotiations, Iran six world powers-Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and the United Statesagreed on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to resolve the nuclear impasse concerning Iran in July 2015. The deal provided verifiable assurances that fissile material in Iran could not be diverted toward weaponization purposes; the highest standards on nuclear transparency and inspections ever negotiated; and the lifting of US and United Nations nuclear-related sanctions on Iran. The agreement was welcomed by the international community and endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution. This article examines the major factors that led Iran and the global powers to reach a deal. Those factors included each side's willingness to cash in its main bargaining chips (a short breakout time for Iran and sanctions for the United States), a change in leadership in each country, and a shifting geopolitical context. Foremost, however, was the US willingness to change its demands of Iran from no nuclear enrichment to no nuclear bomb. The JCPOA has had major implications for the global powers and Iran, affecting especially the bilateral US-Iran relationship, the regional security situations, and US domestic politics.

In addition to its direct implications for the nuclear realm, the agreement on Iran’s nuclear program creates a host of other challenges for Israel. These challenges concern primarily the Palestinian and Syrian arenas, the delegitimization arena, and Israel’s special relationship with the United States, including its standing vis-à-vis the administration and the battle for US public opinion. • The US drive to sign an agreement with Iran reflects a strategic choice based on the premise that Iran is part of the solution to the problems in the Middle East, and not part of the problem. Iran appears to be regarded by the US administration as a stabilizing force and a responsible actor that can be relied upon in the struggle against fundamentalist Islam in general and the Islamic State in particular. On a practical level, this view bespeaks US acceptance of Iran’s hegemonic aspirations and effort to expand its influence in the region.

… Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Accessed at …, 2006