Iran’s Nuclear Program – Will it Become The Next Battleground For United States?

In an operation which lasted few minutes, Prof Fakhrizadeh was killed. Several of his bodyguards, as well as 4 of the assassins, were also killed.

On 27th November 2020, when Prof Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi was travelling back to Tehran from his holiday retreat in the hill city of Absard along with his bodyguards, he had no idea what is going to happen. An audacious operation by an external intelligence agency was about to start. In an operation which lasted few minutes, Prof Fakhrizadeh was killed. Several of his bodyguards, as well as 4 of the assassins, were also killed.

Prof Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi was not an ordinary person. He was the head of Iran’s nuclear program and the head of so-called “Project 111” where Iran’s involvement in developing weapons-grade Uranium was suspected. So important was he that in 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) put him as one of the persons involved in Ballistic or Nuclear Missile Activities subjected to Asset Freeze and travel restrictions. He was mentioned as a senior person in the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFEL). IAEA also wanted to interview him, but Iran refused blatantly.

Iran’s Nuclear Program and the United States

Iran’s Nuclear program has taken several twists and turns. In 1967, it was Unites states itself which provided the Tehran Nuclear Research Centre of Iran with a small 5-Megawatt Nuclear reactor which was Iran’s first step towards nuclear energy. Iran has been reiterating the fact that its Nuclear program is totally peaceful, but the things started taking an ugly turn when Iran signed two important Nuclear agreements with Pakistan (in 1987) and China (in 1990). There was a result of a covert negotiation process and hence pulled the attention of the United States.

In 2002 it was revealed that Iran has constructed a Uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and a heavy water plant at Arak. Certainly, it was the clandestine support of Pakistan and China which resulted in this large-scale development.

In February 2003, a team of IAEA visited Iran and inspected Natanz Fuel Enrichment facility secretly created in the complex of Kalaye Electric Company in the vicinity of Tehran. They found Iran to be violating several IAEA guidelines including commercial production of highly enriched Uranium. The restrictions were imminent.

Pakistan and Iran’s Nuclear Program

The way Pakistan ran a nuclear black market with the help of Abdul Qadir Khan is not a secret anymore. Pakistan had been trying to make a nuclear bomb right after the humiliating defeat it suffered in 1971 Indo-Pak War and by the end of 1980, it developed a centrifuge called P-1 which was further developed into P-2 and by 1984, it was ready for bulk production.

During the IAEA visit to Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, they found several thousands of centrifuges installed in the facility. Iran government revealed that they obtained these centrifuges through URENCO- A British fuel company but the design of these centrifuges was nowhere close to the ones supplied by URENCO. Instead, they were the exact copies of P-2 Centrifuge developed by Pakistan. Some of the Centrifuges which were made in Pakistan were also found in one of the storage facilities nearby revealing the fact that Pakistan sold the technology and some prototypes to Iran in 1989. Naturally, Iran was weaponizing its Nuclear capabilities with the help of Pakistan. In late 2003, a large consignment of Pakistani P-2 Centrifuges was recovered from a warehouse in Libya.

Prof Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi was one of the key architects of Iran’s nuclear program and his assassination will certainly compel the Iranian government to take an action. Earlier on 3rd Jan 2020 too, Major General Qasem Soleimani- the commander of Iran’s Quds force was killed in a US strike in Baghdad. Iran is not going to sit idle after the second similar incident within a year.

Iran – New battleground for the United States

The United States has been having its strong presence in the middle east since the first gulf war. It has been opening new fronts one after the another. Initially, it was Gulf War against Iraq which culminated in the hanging of Saddam Hussain. Next was “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan which nearly ended with the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Soon after this, the US started anti ISIS operations in the Middle East especially in Iraq & Syria continuing its presence there.

Now since ISIS is nearly wiped off and US-Taliban peace deal is signed. US withdrawal from Afghanistan is imminent. Unites States will now need another battleground in Asia, and we assume Iran to be the next target of American wrath.

Another great game is being laid out; dices have been thrown. Time will show as to how things take a turn.