GLIMUN 2009 : Iran

In September, Iran surprised the world community with the announcement that it was building a second nuclear enrichment facility at Fordo, in addition to its first facility at Natanz. This was in violation of IAEA rules requiring member states complying with nuclear nonproliferation treaties to notify them as soon as the decision to build a facility has been reached – and there has been concern expressed by the international community that the only reason for the notification was that US intelligence agencies had discovered the site and that there is no peaceful justification for the second site – adding to concerns that the size and scope of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is not consistent with its claims of a peaceful program aimed at generating enriched uranium for power plant usage.

Iran is currently in negotiations with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany in an attempt to resolve their alarm about the potential security consequences of a nuclearized Iran in a peaceful manner.

If diplomacy fails, sanctions on Iran remain extremely tricky as they would need to focus on either preventing gasoline from being shipped back into Iran from foreign refineries or on material military and economic services being provided by Russia and China. Any sanctions could potentially be answered in kind, and Iran produces approximately 5% of the World’s oil supply and approximately 25% of the world’s oil supply passes through the straits of Hormuz, immediately south of Iran and potentially rendered inaccessible through naval mines or surface to surface missiles. These same issues will weigh on any decision to use military force as well.

Research Links

UN Resolution 1803 requiring Iran to cease from any Uranium enrichment activities

Case by Global Security that Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful

Iran, Israel Eyeball at Mideast Nuke Conference

UN Presses Iran on Nuclear Site

Position Papers:

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