Iran Nuclear Deal: Countries Concerned About The Problem Posed By A Nuclear Armed Iran

As noted by The Los Angeles Times, Iran’s nuclear program has created a great deal of international concern that they are attempting to develop nuclear weapons. According to Iran, its goal is to produce fuel to power reactors. But even with the recent agreement between the United States and Iran on the issue, there are many who have their doubts – including Donald Trump.

There are several nations in the region that have a significant interest in whether Iran develops and fields nuclear weapons. These nations include Iran itself, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. Outside of the region, other nations that have a vested interest in ensuring that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons include the United States, France, and the UK. Each of these nations has their own goals regarding this issue.

The Middle East and the Iran Nuclear Deal

Assuming that Iran is using its nuclear weapons program as a smokescreen to acquire nuclear weapons –as the U.S., Israel and many other nations believe – its goals would seem relatively straightforward. Iran is a major regional player, but its power is offset both by Israel – which is presumed to possess a number of nuclear weapons – and Saudi Arabia to the south.

Iran’s Shiite-led government has a very fundamentalist religious perspective and would like to spread this perspective throughout the Muslim world. One of the things that limit Iran’s freedom of action in trying to carry out this goal is the fact that it does not possess nuclear weapons.

For Israel, the existence of Iranian nuclear weapons would be a threat to their very existence. Iran has made it quite clear on many occasions – and through many actions – that it desires the destruction of the state of Israel. Possessing nuclear weapons would make this a realistic possibility.

The Israelis have themselves made it quite plain that they are willing to take whatever military action is necessary should other measures –such as sanctions, treaties, and inspections – seem inadequate to ensure the safety of their nation. Certainly, the recent treaty between the United States and Iran on this issue is deemed by the current Israeli government to be wholly inadequate and reckless.

For the Saudi Arabians, the radicalism and aggressiveness of the Iranians represent a threat to their stability. In part, the hostility between these two nations transcends mere power politics. The Saudi Arabians as the protectors of Mecca are also key members of the Sunni branch of Islam, which has for centuries been at odds with the Shiite branch, primarily represented by the Iranians.

Certainly, the last thing the Saudi Arabians would want to see in the Middle East is the ascendancy of the Iranian state, which their possession of nuclear weapons might easily bring about.

Western Concerns About the Iran Nuclear Deal

For the United States, France, the UK, and all of the other Western powers, Iran in possession of nuclear weapons represents more than a military threat to people and cities. As reported by The Register Guard, it represents a threat to their oil supply. Currently, should the Iranians attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz and cut off oil going to the Western world, the United States – perhaps in concert with other powers – could use conventional weapons and forces to remove the blockade and get the oil flowing again.

However, if the Iranians had nuclear weapons and new missiles to deliver them with, ending oil blockade would become much more difficult – if not impossible. As powerful as a U.S. carrier group is, a single nuclear weapon could send it straight to the bottom of the Persian Gulf. The West could become powerless to protect their most important resource if the Iranian government obtains nuclear weapons despite – or because of – the Iran nuclear deal.

[Featured Image by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images]