The Iran Nuclear Deal! What it means? How does it impact India? : Part 1

Critical analysis of the Nuclear Deal

After several rounds of negotiation, the Iran Nuclear deal finally got inked on 14^th July, 2015. The deal had been a matter of somewhat heated debate especially among the Iranians and the P5+1. Before jumping into what the deal is and how it affects Iran and the Middle East and our country, India lets acquaint ourselves with some of the technical terms just to grasp things quickly later.

Enrichment: The raw uranium found in earth has less than 1% U-235, the isotope that can be used to fuel nuclear reactor and make nuclear bombs. Enrichment is a process, which involves usage of centrifuges to separate that 1% U-235 isotope from the remaining uranium.

Centrifuges: Centrifuges are pieces of equipment used to enrich Uranium, a natural ore, into nuclear fuel. This nuclear fuel if enriched for long in the Centrifuges produces fissile material for nuclear bombs.

Uranium Enrichment:  A process through which Iran would be allowed to turn raw uranium into nuclear fuel, and nothing more.

What led to the Deal?

The Iranian Nuclear deal basically works two ways. Iran cuts down its nuclear enrichment program and in turn the P5+1 country (United States of America, United Kingdom, China, France, Russia + Germany) lift off sanctions from Iran, which are crippling its economy. Iran being in the heart of the Middle East was enriching uranium at a dangerously fast rate, responding to such an alarming production of uranium the United States imposed sanctions against Iran in 1995 to include firms dealing with the Iranian Government. After Iran refused to quit its enrichment program the United Nations Security imposed sanctions on Iran, the US sanctions initially targeted investment in petroleum, gas and petrochemicals export of refined petroleum products and business dealings with Iran. The sanctions imposed only took a tougher and tighter turn for Iran as the other P5+1 countries joined USA. Over the time these sanctions have not only crippled Iran’s economy but also have made the life of the people living there tougher. To stabilize it’s already destabilized economy Iran HAD to cut a deal with the UN Security Council.

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The Major points of the Deal are as follows:

Centrifuges: Iran will be allowed only 6000 centrifuges. The first 5000 at its Natanz facility and the remaining 1000 at its other facility where they would be used for non-fissile research purpose. After giving up it centrifuges, Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity will be cut off and it would only be allowed to produce nuclear material for energy related purposes only. Also Iran would only be allowed first generation centrifuges, however after some years it would be allowed again to make advanced centrifuges. The centrifuges, which Iran would use after this deal, would be much slower and have limited capability, and even if Iran somehow refuses to honor this treaty anymore, it would take them years to come at the same level as they are now.

Uranium Enrichment: Iran would only be allowed to enrich uranium to only 3.67% an amount too low to produce fissile material. As fissile material production requires enrichment up to 90% or higher, cutting down the enrichment capability of Iran would put down a seal on the fact that Iran doesn’t produce nuclear fissile material.

Uranium Stockpile: Iran will be required to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium from 10,000Kg to 300Kg. This would limit the amount of uranium Iran would have to make a nuclear bomb. With the very limited stock of uranium available, Iran won’t be in any position to create a nuclear bomb. Next in action is the Breakout time, the time it would take Iran to put together enough nuclear material to make a bomb. That time has been extended from 2-3 months to one year. By the time Iran would plan to make a nuclear bomb, the whole world would come to know about it and would thus result in the sanctions being put back on the country.

There is more to this the next part of the series will focus on the deal and what it meant for our country. . Keep reading for more!!!

Click here for The Iran Nuclear Deal! What it means? How does it impact India? : Part 2

About the Author: Shekhar Tanwar is a computer science engineer who is working with a renowned MNC and is a die heart defense aspirant. Guitar is his passion and he is very firm believer of physical fitness. This article is a way to help defense aspirants to present his critical views on the topic, on the forum so that collective exchange of thoughts can take place.