To have or not to have?

Abstract

This report rests upon a wish to grasp how and why the international community has followed the Iranian atomic programme attentively. This wish has come across due to the seemingly greater willingness within the international community to deal with nuclear issues regarding Iran in comparison with similar cases. Through a regime theoretical understanding of how states seek to cooperate in the realm of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, we attempt to uncover the principal, normative and formal pillars upon which the non-proliferation regime is founded. Furthermore we explore the power, interest and trust based relations regarding the international community’s willingness to handle the atomic ambitions of Iran. Finally we scrutinize the new conception of security issues that has emerged after the ending of the Cold War and the atrocities of 11th September 2001 in an attempt to examine the influence of these circumstances regarding the international reactions towards the state of Iran.