Nuclear Proliferation of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Challenging the Balance of Power in the Middle East

Abstract

Few topics in international relations consistently attract as muchacademic and policy interest as nuclear proliferation. Literatureon the subject tends to focus on the following questions: Why dostates seek nuclear weapons? How do they acquire the componentsnecessary to build them? What are the consequences of nuclearproliferation? Does nuclear proliferation change the balance ofpower? These issues will remain salient in the years to come asthe Iranian nuclear weapon programme continues, heightening thecrisis between regional leading states.