Latest news with #MohammadRezaPahlavi
NDTV
25-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
How The United States Forced Iran To Pursue A Nuclear Programme
New Delhi: When American scientists helped install a nuclear reactor in Tehran in the 1960s, they did so under the banner of peace. Decades later, US warplanes bombed Iranian nuclear sites to halt what they now see as a threat. It began with the 'Atoms for Peace' programme, launched by President Dwight D Eisenhower to share civilian nuclear technology with allies. At the time, Iran, ruled by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was a model Cold War partner, secular, West-leaning, and eager to modernise. The US responded by helping install the Tehran Research Reactor, training Iranian scientists at elite institutions like MIT, and encouraging partnerships with European allies. To Washington, it was a strategy to extend influence, contain Soviet power, and showcase the "benevolent" use of atomic energy. In practice, it created an entire ecosystem of nuclear capacity inside Iran that would long outlast the Shah's regime. "We gave Iran its starter kit," said Robert Einhorn, a former US arms control negotiator and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "We weren't terribly concerned about nuclear proliferation in those days, so we were pretty promiscuous about transferring nuclear technology." The concern was not about what Iran might do with the technology one day, but what the Soviet Union could do at the time. Under the Shah, Iran's ambitions scaled. Despite sitting on massive oil reserves, Iran was determined to become a nuclear power in both symbolism and capability. France and Germany signed multibillion-dollar reactor deals. US media ran ads touting the Shah's responsible embrace of nuclear power. Behind the public enthusiasm, intelligence officials in Washington were growing wary. The Shah's insistence on uranium enrichment, legal under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), but dual-use in nature, was raising flags. By the late 1970s, US policymakers tried to restrain Iran's growing autonomy by modifying reactor contracts and insisting on fuel restrictions. But by then, the nuclear infrastructure was already embedded. And then came the 1979 Islamic Revolution, sweeping away the Shah from power and replacing him with a clerical regime hostile to the US. US-Iranian relations collapsed overnight. Initially, the new rulers had little to no interest in the nuclear project. It was expensive, Western-built, and closely tied to the ousted regime. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini saw little value in continuing it. Iran's brutal war with Iraq in the 1980s, marked by chemical weapons and massive casualties, forced its leadership to reassess national defence. Once again, nuclear technology looked less like a luxury and more like a deterrent. But this time, the US wasn't the supplier. Instead, Iran turned to Pakistan. There, Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, provided Iran with designs and components for uranium enrichment centrifuges. That transfer, based on stolen European technology, gave Iran its first real tools for weaponization of nuclear energy. Yet the foundation that enabled Iran to absorb that technology had been laid by the United States decades earlier. By the early 2000s, the world discovered Iran's secret enrichment sites. Tehran claimed it was within its rights under the NPT. The US and its allies were unconvinced. From there, the crisis hardened: sanctions, sabotage, and shadow wars replaced dialogue. The 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the JCPOA, briefly froze the crisis. But the Trump administration withdrew from the deal in 2018. That unravelling triggered a return to confrontation, ending in the very airstrikes meant to destroy the kind of capability the US once helped cultivate.
India.com
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
25000 wine bottles, 18 tons of food, 100 planes and…, World's most expensive party ever was hosted by…, it ended up changing the ruler of the country, cost Rs…
25000 wine bottles, 18 tons of food, 100 planes and..., World's most expensive party ever was hosted by..., it ended up changing the ruler of the country, cost Rs... The war between Iran and Israel has become one of the most talked-about issues in the world right now. Both countries are suffering heavy losses, but neither is ready to back down. With the United States also stepping into the conflict, the situation has become even more serious, and many fear the war could drag on for a long time. This war is not just about bombs and borders, it could also hurt trade in the region. Countries in West Asia, including India, may feel the impact on their business ties and economy. Since we're talking about Iran, let's look back at a shocking moment in its history i.e. a party so grand and expensive that it is still remembered even today. Many believe that this party led to the fall of Iran's ruler at the time. About world's most expensive party In 1971, Iran's economy was weak and many people were struggling with poverty and unemployment. Some of them even did not have access to clean drinking water. But despite this, the Iranian government decided to throw a huge and expensive party to celebrate 2,500 years of the Persian Empire. It is said that this party cost more than Rs. 843 crore (in today's value). The part was full of luxury, it has fine food, decorations, and guests from around the world. But while the leaders enjoyed themselves, the common people were angry as they were living in hardship while their rulers spent a massive amount of money on a celebration. The party sparked public outrage People started protesting against the government, and the anger grew so strong that, eventually, the ruling power was overthrown. Many believe this party was the turning point that led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which changed the country forever. In 1971, Iran was ruled by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah (King) of Iran. At that time, the country was heavily influenced by Western culture, people wore modern clothes, parties were common, and Iran was trying to look like a modern, global nation. To show off Iran's long history and glory, the Shah decided to celebrate 2,500 years of the Persian Empire in a grand way. The celebration took place in Persepolis, an ancient city in the desert where the tomb of Cyrus the Great, one of Iran's greatest kings, is located. What made this party so big? 65 countries sent their representatives to attend the event. 18 tons of food were brought from France, including gourmet meals and desserts. Around 25,000 bottles of wine were served. More than 100 planes were used to fly in the guests. Since Tehran didn't have enough hotels, a temporary luxury city of tents like royal palaces was built in the desert. Roads were built, and decorations were added to make the desert look green. They even brought in 50,000 birds to make the place feel alive but sadly, most of them died because of the extreme heat. Why did it lead to a revolution? Mohammad Reza Shah became the king of Iran in 1941. Even though the country was facing economic problems, he welcomed Western culture and supported modern, liberal ideas. He also spoke out against traditional practices like wearing the hijab. This upset many religious leaders, and his government began jailing people who disagreed with him. While the Shah was busy throwing this lavish party, ordinary Iranians were struggling. Many people didn't have jobs, or basic needs. Seeing such waste of money made people very angry. They felt the Shah was more interested in showing off to the world than caring for his own people. This anger slowly turned into a revolution. In 1979, just eight years after that party, the people of Iran, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, overthrew the Shah. The monarchy ended, and Iran became an Islamic Republic.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aviation nerds are mourning Iran's F-14 Tomcats
Israel's attacks on Iran, starting with the killing of an Iranian nuclear negotiator, have proven controversial in the U.S. They also triggered a debate on whether to risk American blood in yet another Middle Eastern war. But some Americans are already mourning the loss of elderly Americans, specifically the remaining F-14 Tomcats in Iranian service. The plane became most famous for its starring role in 'Top Gun.' Tom Cruise was also in it, but the supersonic, swing-wing fighter used by nearly every pilot in the movie was certainly the star. It's like the fighter version of a convertible, if you could launch your convertible off a carrier. The F-14 Tomcat retired from American service in 2006, following the Navy's long transition to the F/A-18s and, later, the F-35 fighters currently in service. It was only exported once. That was to the Imperial Iranian Air Force of the American-backed Shāhanshāh Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, usually known as the Shah of Iran. Originally, the plan had been for America to send Iran 80 F-14s and over 700 Phoenix air-to-air missiles, allowing the American ally a huge advantage when fighting anti-American adversaries in the region, mostly Iraq. But when the Shah was deposed in 1979, America obviously didn't want to send its resources to an Islamic Republic built on rhetoric that demonized America and its allies. That proved prescient since Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini immediately instituted Sharia law and took a more hostile stance toward the U.S. and Israel, which had also formerly allied with the Shah. So the new Islamic Republic of Iran was left with 79 Tomcats and about 200 Phoenix missiles. That was enough to make a serious difference in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, but the Iranians lacked spare parts and additional missiles for the aircraft. Iran only ever got shipments of F-14 parts during the Iran-Contra Affair, a secret deal between Ronald Reagan's Administration and the Islamic Republic that sent arms and supplies to Iran through Israel. Iran's F-14s have been struggling to stay airborne ever since. So it was actually a pleasant surprise in 2022 when a single F-14 Tomcat took part in a flyover. For planes over 40 years old with nearly a decade of combat use and no spare parts, one out of 79 was a good showing. For F-14 nerds, the Iranian fleet represents the only chance of seeing one of these birds in action. To prevent further smuggling of spare parts to the Islamic regime, America locked down all of its own remaining F-14s in museums and at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. In 2007, it even made the decision to destroy all of its F-14 wing boxes, the linchpin of the Tomcat's sweep-wing design. And the Navy further shredded the entirety of most F-14s to prevent black market sales. Put simply, an F-14 without an intact wing box will never fly again; the wings would fall off. The tooling to manufacture new ones is no longer available, and none are known to exist outside of Iran. Few other parts for the F-14 exist outside of Iran and museums. So even though Iran could only muster one F-14 for the 2022 flyover, it still remains the greatest hope of any and all aviation nerds who wish to see the F-14 fly again. And that hope got a whole lot dimmer this week when Israel released footage of it hitting Iranian F-14s on the ground. The planes probably couldn't have flown anyway, but the direct hits in the video put the wing box and the rest of the components at serious risk. It's quite possible that the last flight of an F-14 was the last ever flight of an F-14. One possibility does gleam from inside the ash clouds, though it would take a few minor miracles in a row for it to work out for F-14 geeks. If the Islamic Republic of Iran falls due to the current violence, and if one or more F-14s survive the war, and if the missing components are replaceable with museum pieces or new manufacture, then there is a chance that the U.S. Navy could ask for key components from Iranian salvage and put back together a working F-14. With no foreign operators remaining, there would be little reason to keep the current, fairly extreme, safeguards around the F-14 in place. One or more F-14s could appear in air shows as a legacy flier. But that's a remote possibility. Again, the U.S. intentionally destroyed components so no smuggler could get the necessary parts to Iran. And any hope of reversing that damage will come in finding the exact components, in workable condition, in the flaming wrecks left behind by the Israelis. We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. 'Day of the Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies at age 86 Ukraine's new, drone-delivered weapon is basically a phallic claymore A self-taught snake expert's 200 snake bites may lead to a universal 'cure' for snake venom
Daily Tribune
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Inside Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: From Origins to Tensions Today
A week after Israel's unprecedented military strike against Iran, the United States escalated tensions further with overnight attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes underscore mounting international alarm over Iran's expanding nuclear programme — a dispute decades in the making. A Programme Decades in the Making Iran's nuclear ambitions trace back to the late 1950s, when it began receiving technical assistance from the United States under a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement signed by then-Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Iran became a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1970, committing to peaceful nuclear development under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But by the early 2000s, revelations about undeclared nuclear sites raised international suspicion. A 2011 IAEA report found that Iran had conducted activities 'relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device' at least until 2003. Hope in Vienna, Fallout in Washington After suspending parts of its enrichment activities, Iran entered negotiations with world powers. These culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in Vienna with the five permanent UN Security Council members (US, UK, France, China, and Russia) plus Germany. The deal imposed strict limits on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. That diplomatic breakthrough unraveled in May 2018, when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed sanctions. Tehran responded with what analysts call a 'strategy of escalation.' Escalation and Enrichment In defiance of the JCPOA, Iran raised its uranium enrichment levels: From 3.67% (the JCPOA cap) To 5%, then 20%, and eventually 60% in 2021 — alarmingly close to the 90% threshold needed for weapons-grade material. As of May 17, 2025, Iran possesses 408.6 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — a 50% increase since February. Given that around 42 kg at this level is enough for one bomb if further enriched, Iran now theoretically holds enough material for more than nine nuclear weapons. Iran has also exceeded limits on the number and type of centrifuges in operation, using advanced models to accelerate production. No Evidence of a Weapon — Yet Despite the quantity of enriched material, the IAEA has stated it has 'no indication' that Iran currently has a systematic programme to build a nuclear weapon. Nuclear arms require more than enriched uranium: precise engineering, ballistic delivery systems, and warhead miniaturisation are all essential steps — none of which are confirmed. In March, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified that Iran is not actively building a nuclear bomb. Iran continues to deny all nuclear weapons ambitions, citing a religious edict (fatwa) issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banning the development and use of atomic arms. Diplomacy Under Fire Recent Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, coupled with the latest US bombings, have further damaged hopes for reviving the JCPOA. Talks mediated by Oman had resumed in April 2025, but the attacks have prompted Iran's Foreign Ministry to accuse Washington of committing 'illegality and crimes' to aid Israel. While US officials express confidence that a renewed nuclear deal is still possible, Tehran maintains that recent aggression has dealt a 'serious blow' to diplomacy. Why It Matters Iran is now the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60%, a position that drastically reduces its 'breakout time' — the time it would need to produce a nuclear weapon if it chooses to. With over 400 kg of near-weapons-grade uranium, the stakes have never been higher. The world watches as Iran walks the fine line between legal enrichment and potential weaponisation — a line that could redefine security in the Middle East and beyond.
NDTV
22-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Iran's Nuclear Programme: From 1950s Origins To 2025 Destruction
A week after Israel launched an unprecedented attack against Iran over fears about its nuclear ambitions, US strikes overnight on Sunday on three Iranian nuclear sites have further ramped up the dispute. Western powers have repeatedly expressed concerns about the rapid expansion of Iran's nuclear programme, questioning in particular the country's accelerated uranium enrichment. Israel has accused Iran of being on the verge of developing nuclear arms, which Tehran denies. The following is a recap of the main developments regarding Iran's nuclear programme. 'Structured programme' Iran laid the foundation for its nuclear programme in the late 1950s with technical assistance from the United States, when Iran's ruling shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Washington. In 1970, Iran ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), committing it to declare its nuclear material to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But revelations in the early 2000s about undeclared nuclear sites raised concerns. A 2011 IAEA report, collating "broadly credible" intelligence, said that at least until 2003 Iran "carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device". Historic accord left in tatters After suspending enrichment activities, Iran began talks with European and then international powers that would later culminate in a historic deal. On July 14, 2015, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany reached an accord in Vienna. The deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), placed significant restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief after 12 years of crisis and 21 months of protracted negotiations. But the hard-won deal began to unravel when the US, during Donald Trump's first presidency, walked away from it on May 8, 2018, and reimposed sanctions on Iran. 'Nuclear escalation' Following the US withdrawal, Iran retaliated by stepping up its nuclear activities as if "a red cape had been waved in front of a bull", said Clement Therme, associate researcher at the Rasanah International Institute for Iranian Studies. According to Therme, Iran "embarked on a strategy of escalation" in a bid to up pressure and obtain help to circumvent sanctions. But Tehran's moves were unsuccessful and came at an "exorbitant economic cost". Iran first began enriching uranium to five percent -- breaching the limit of 3.67 percent imposed by the deal -- before it raised the enrichment levels to 20 and then to 60 percent in 2021, which is a short step from the 90 percent required for use in a weapon. Iran has also increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium, which was set at 202.8 kilogrammes under the deal. Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile is currently believed to be more than 45 times that limit. And Tehran has since exceeded the number of centrifuges -- the machines used to enrich uranium -- it is allowed to have while beginning to produce more material faster by using advanced models at its plants. Efforts to revive the deal have been fruitless so far, with European-led talks on hold since the summer of 2022. After Trump's return to the White House, talks between Washington and Iran and mediated by Oman resumed in April. While the US president has voiced confidence that Iran would eventually sign a nuclear deal, Tehran said that Israeli strikes targeting a slew of military and nuclear sites "dealt a blow" to diplomacy. On Sunday, Iran's foreign ministry said the US bombings showed that Washington "will stop at no illegality or crime" to support Israel. 'No indication' Faced with Iran's rapidly expanding nuclear programme, the IAEA expressed "serious concern" in its latest quarterly report at the end of May. According to the UN agency, Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to 60 percent. It theoretically has enough near-weapons-grade material, if further refined, for more than nine bombs. However, the manufacturing and delivering of a nuclear bomb requires many other steps, including mastering both ballistics and the miniaturisation of the nuclear charge. The IAEA has said it currently has "no indication" of the existence of a "systematic programme" in Iran to produce a nuclear weapon. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified to a Senate committee in March that Iran was not actively building a nuclear bomb. Iran has always denied having such ambitions, regularly referring to a long-standing fatwa, or religious edict, by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prohibiting atomic weapons.
