Iran and weapons of mass destruction facts for kids

Iran does not currently have weapons of mass destruction (WMD). These are super powerful weapons like nuclear, chemical, or biological bombs. Iran has signed important agreements, promising not to own WMDs. These agreements include the Biological Weapons Convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Iran knows how terrible WMDs can be. Over 100,000 Iranian soldiers and regular people were hurt by chemical weapons during the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s.

In 2003, Iran's top religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a special religious rule called a fatwa. This rule said it was forbidden to make, store, or use nuclear weapons. Iran says its program to enrich uranium is only for peaceful uses, like making electricity.

The IAEA is a group that checks nuclear programs. They have confirmed that Iran's declared nuclear materials are not being used for weapons. However, they still want to be sure there are no secret military parts to Iran's nuclear program.

Many countries have different ideas about Iran's nuclear plans. In 2007, US intelligence agencies said Iran stopped working on nuclear weapons in 2003. In 2012, US intelligence agencies said Iran was researching things that could help make nuclear weapons, but wasn't actually trying to build them. Iran has asked for countries with nuclear weapons to get rid of them. It also wants the Middle East to be a nuclear weapon-free zone.

The UN Security Council has asked Iran to stop enriching uranium. They put sanctions (special rules and limits) on Iran when it refused. Iran's former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said these sanctions were unfair.

Iran's Nuclear Program

Quick facts for kids Islamic Republic of Iran
Nuclear program start date	1957
First nuclear weapon test	None
First thermonuclear weapon test	None
Last nuclear test	None
Largest yield test	None
Total tests	None
Peak stockpile	Unknown
Current stockpile	Unknown
Current strategic arsenal	Unknown
Cumulative strategic arsenal in megatonnage	Unknown
Maximum missile range	Unknown
NPT party	Yes

What is Iran's Nuclear Program?

In 2005, the IAEA found that Iran had hidden some of its enrichment program in the past. This was a violation of its NPT agreement. However, another IAEA report said there was "no evidence" that these hidden activities were for a nuclear weapons program. Iran says it has to be careful with information because of threats from countries like Israel and the United States.

In 2006, the UN Security Council demanded Iran stop enriching uranium. They put sanctions on Iran when it didn't stop. Iran said these sanctions were unfair because the NPT gives countries the right to peaceful nuclear technology.

Some US intelligence reports in 2005 thought Iran could have the parts for a nuclear weapon by 2015. In 2007, the US called Iran's Revolutionary Guards a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction." Iran replied that the US, which makes WMDs, shouldn't make such decisions.

The head of the IAEA at the time, Mohamed ElBaradei, said he had no proof Iran was building nuclear weapons. He felt US leaders were making things worse with their strong words. Israel and some Western countries worry Iran's nuclear program is secretly for weapons. Iran says it's only for making electricity. Israel is believed to be the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons.

How Iran's Nuclear Program Started

Iran's nuclear program began in 1957. This was during the Cold War, when the US and the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, were allies. The US gave Iran basic nuclear research tools. In return, Iran signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968.

In the 1970s, Iran wanted to buy large nuclear facilities from Western countries. This was to develop nuclear power. But the US worried about nuclear weapons spreading. So, it convinced its allies to limit selling nuclear fuel technology to Iran.

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the new leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, didn't focus much on nuclear weapons. He saw them as a Western idea. Many Iranian scientists left the country. The US also worked to stop other countries from helping Iran with nuclear technology.

In the 1990s, Iran's new leaders, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ali Hosseini Khamenei, wanted to restart their nuclear program. They got help from Russia and China for things like uranium mining. But the US stepped in to stop Iran from getting all the nuclear power and fuel facilities it wanted.

Around 2000, Iran started building enrichment facilities at Natanz. This was with help from the A.Q. Khan network. In 2002, an Iranian opposition group revealed the Natanz project. Since then, other countries have put pressure on Iran. This has slowed down, but not stopped, Iran's nuclear development. Iran still follows the NPT treaty.

When Could Iran Make a Nuclear Weapon?

Experts have different ideas about when Iran could make a nuclear weapon if it decided to.

• In 2005, one group thought Iran could make enough uranium for a bomb by the end of that decade. This was if Iran ignored international rules.
• A US intelligence report in 2005 said Iran was ten years away from a nuclear weapon.
• In 2007, the head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Iran would need "between another three and eight years" to make a bomb. He said all intelligence services agreed with this.
• In 2007, US intelligence agencies said Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. They believed it was still stopped in 2007.
• In 2009, US intelligence said Iran wouldn't realistically get a nuclear weapon until 2013. They didn't know if Iran planned to build them.
• In 2018, Israel said it found files showing Iran worked on nuclear weapons from 1999 to 2003.
• In 2018, the IAEA repeated its 2015 report. It said there was no strong proof of nuclear weapons work in Iran after 2009.
• In 2023, US intelligence said Iran was not currently building nuclear weapons. But it was improving its nuclear abilities.

The IAEA's Role

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a global group. It works to make sure nuclear energy is used peacefully. It also tries to stop it from being used for military purposes.

In 2006, the IAEA said it hadn't seen signs of nuclear material being used for weapons in Iran. But it still had questions about Iran's nuclear program. Inspectors found documents on how to shape uranium into a sphere. This shape is only needed for nuclear weapons. Iran said it got this information in the 1980s and 1990s. They claimed they didn't use it for weapons.

In 2003, Iran agreed to let IAEA inspectors visit more places. But in 2006, Iran stopped this extra access. This happened after the IAEA reported Iran to the United Nations Security Council.

In 2006, the UN Security Council demanded Iran stop enriching uranium. In 2007, the IAEA said Iran agreed to let inspectors visit its Arak nuclear plant. They also agreed on a plan to check the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.

In 2007, the IAEA confirmed that Iran's declared nuclear material was not used for weapons. The head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Iran was not an "immediate threat." He also said there was "no evidence" of Iran developing nuclear weapons.

In 2009, ElBaradei said the IAEA still had concerns about Iran's program. He said Iran needed to cooperate more. He also said Iran failed to report a new enrichment facility until 2009.

In 2010, ElBaradei said Western countries were pushing for more sanctions out of frustration. He believed Iran was still "four or five years away from a weapon." He said there was time for talks.

Claims of Weapon Studies

The IAEA has looked into claims that Iran was working on nuclear warhead designs. These claims were called Project 110 and Project 111. ElBaradei said the agency had "no credible evidence" that Iran was developing nuclear weapons. He also said there was no information that nuclear material or weapon parts had been made.

Some reports said a professor, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was in charge of these projects. But Iranian officials said these projects were made up by the United States. Documents shown by the IAEA included a missile launch ending with a warhead exploding. But experts noted these documents lacked dates. This means Iran might have had such a project but stopped it.

Iran has said these documents are fake. The IAEA has asked Iran to cooperate more and for countries to share more information. Russia has also said there is no proof of a military part in Iran's nuclear efforts.

In 2009, a newspaper claimed a document showed Iran using a neutron source. This is only used in nuclear weapons. But experts said the document didn't prove Iran was close to nuclear weapons. They also said it was unclear if the document was real or if any experiments happened.

Iran's View on Nuclear Weapons

Iran says its nuclear program is for making electricity. It believes any other use would break the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it signed. Iran also says it's against Islamic religious rules to have nuclear weapons.

Iran says it needs nuclear power for its growing population and industries. It points out that it imports gasoline and electricity. Burning fossil fuels also harms Iran's environment. Iran believes it should be allowed to use nuclear energy. It says its valuable oil should be saved for other uses and export.

Iran says it has a legal right to enrich uranium for peaceful uses under the NPT. It says it has always followed its duties under the NPT. Many other countries also enrich uranium. Iran believes it's unfair that some nuclear-weapon states try to stop others from having nuclear technology.

Iran has criticized the European Union for not doing enough to reduce nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Iran has asked Israel to sign the NPT and let inspectors check its nuclear sites. Iran has suggested the Middle East become a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone.

In 2005, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a fatwa. This religious rule said making, storing, and using nuclear weapons is forbidden in Islam. He said Iran would never get these weapons.

In 2005, Iran rejected a plan from the European Union. This plan offered help with peaceful nuclear power if Iran promised not to enrich uranium. Iran said any plan must respect its right to enrich uranium. Iran has had problems getting nuclear fuel from other countries in the past. This makes them want to produce their own.

In 2006, Iran started enriching uranium again. This led the IAEA to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council. In 2006, Iran's parliament members threatened to leave the NPT. This was if Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology wasn't protected.

In 2007, Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said if other countries closed their fuel production facilities for talks, Iran would too. The US rejected this offer.

Iran has said that UN sanctions unfairly hurt its medical sector. Iran uses nuclear materials to make medical isotopes for patients. They said if they can't get fuel, some patients might die.

In 2010, Iran began enriching uranium to almost 20%. This was to make fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor. This reactor makes medical isotopes. Uranium enriched to 20% is still considered low enriched uranium. Uranium for weapons is usually enriched to 90% or more.

In 2011, President Ahmadinejad said those who build nuclear bombs are "stupid." He said the time for nuclear bombs was over. In 2012, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran would never seek nuclear weapons. He said Islam sees owning nuclear weapons as a "grave sin."

Other Countries' Views

United States' View

Joe Biden's Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not rule out a military intervention to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

In 2005, the US said Iran broke its NPT agreements by hiding its nuclear efforts. The US believes Iran's hidden work shows it wants to develop nuclear weapons. Or at least be able to make them quickly.

The US has given the IAEA information about Iran's weapon designs. This included information from a laptop. The US also pointed to other things like the Green Salt Project. This project was about making uranium metal parts. The IAEA has said some US intelligence given before 2007 was not accurate.

The US accepts Iran's right to peaceful nuclear power. It has offered Iran nuclear and other help if Iran stops enriching uranium. This would include a guaranteed supply of fuel for Iran's reactors.

The US worries about Iran getting nuclear weapons because of the Middle East. Some nuclear technology can be used for both peaceful energy and weapons. A nuclear-armed Iran could change the power balance in the Middle East. It might also encourage other countries there to get nuclear weapons.

In 2006, the US criticized Iran for enriching uranium. US officials said Iran was "moving in the wrong direction." In 2007, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, told the IAEA not to interfere with diplomacy over Iran. She said the IAEA's job was only to inspect and report.

In 2007, US intelligence said Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. They believed it was still stopped. They said Iran could make enough material for a weapon by the mid-2010s. But they didn't know if Iran planned to build them.

In 2009, Iran launched its first satellite. The US said this was a "great concern" because it could be linked to military nuclear abilities. Iran said the launch was to remove the scientific control some countries have.

In 2010, a US intelligence chief said there was no proof Iran decided to build a nuclear weapon. In 2012, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Iran was working on the ability to make nuclear weapons. But it was not trying to produce them.

As of 2021, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would not rule out military action to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. In 2023, US intelligence said Iran was not developing nuclear weapons.

United Nations' View

The UN Security Council has demanded Iran stop all uranium enrichment. Iran says these demands are unfair. It says they force Iran to give up its rights under the NPT for peaceful nuclear technology.

In 2009, a UN official said no country had reported Iran buying uranium from Kazakhstan. This was after a report claimed Iran was trying to buy uranium. Kazakhstan denied these reports.

China's View

China supports solving the Iran nuclear issue through talks. China believes Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear power. But it must also follow its agreements. China has asked Iran to work fully with the IAEA.

In 2010, China again called for talks instead of sanctions. China's foreign minister said in 2012 that China is against any country in the Middle East having nuclear weapons. But Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear activities.

France's View

In 2006, France's Foreign Minister said Iran's nuclear program couldn't be explained by civilian needs. He called it a "secret military nuclear program."

In 2007, former French President Jacques Chirac said that if Iran had a nuclear weapon, it couldn't use it. He meant that if Iran used a bomb, Tehran would be destroyed in return.

Russia's View

Russia believes Iran has the right to develop its peaceful nuclear programs. In 2007, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he saw no proof of any nuclear weapons program in Iran.

In 2009, a US-Russian report said there was no immediate threat of Iran having long-range missiles. It said it was hard to imagine Iran attacking Europe.

In 2012, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia does not want Iran to become a nuclear power. He said it would make international stability more risky.

United Kingdom's View

The UK is part of a group of countries talking with Iran. The UK has said Iran would get nuclear fuel and support for a peaceful program. This is if Iran stops enrichment and answers all questions. The UK has also supported UN Security Council resolutions against Iran.

In 2006, some British officials and scientists were against military action in Iran. They warned that using nuclear weapons would be very bad for Britain and the world.

Israel's View

Israel is not part of the NPT. It is widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel has often said Iran is actively trying to get nuclear weapons. Israel has threatened to attack Iran.

US military leaders have warned that an Israeli attack on Iran would be very risky. They said it would only delay Iran's program by a year or two. Experts say Iran is "decades away" from having a strong nuclear weapon ability.

Some experts believe Iran's nuclear program is partly because of the possible threat from nuclear-armed Israel. Iran and Arab countries have suggested the Middle East become a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone. Israel has said it won't join such talks or the NPT.

In 2010, Israel reportedly sent submarines with nuclear missiles to the Persian Gulf. These were to deter Iran and gather information. In 2018, Israel's Prime Minister said its spy agency, Mossad, took many documents about Iran's nuclear program.

Muslim Countries' Views

The A.Q. Khan network helped Iran get technology for its uranium enrichment program. This network also helped Pakistan with its nuclear weapons program.

A 2008 survey in Arab countries found that most people did not see Iran as a big threat. Many believed Iran had the right to its nuclear program. They did not support international pressure against it. Many thought if Iran got nuclear weapons, it would be more positive than negative for the region.

Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, is not a member of the NPT. In 2006, a former Pakistani army chief said Iran had asked about getting a bomb. He told them they must make it themselves. He believed Iran had enough time to develop them.

Many Iranian religious leaders have said Islam forbids WMDs. In 2003, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would never use WMDs. He said Iran was against making any form of WMDs.

Some groups, like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, have said they support Iran having a nuclear bomb. An Iraqi Shia cleric also said Muslim nations should get a nuclear bomb. He said without it, they would continue to be treated unfairly.

In 2006, 56 Muslim nations signed a statement. They said the only way to solve Iran's nuclear issue was through talks.

Non-Aligned Movement's View

The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of 118 countries. They believe it's unfair that nuclear-weapon states control the right to have nuclear weapons. They want to speed up nuclear disarmament.

In 2006, all 118 Non-Aligned Movement countries supported Iran's peaceful nuclear program. This is a clear majority of the UN countries. In 2007, they rejected any "interference" in Iran's nuclear deal with UN inspectors.

In 2008, the Non-Aligned Movement welcomed Iran's cooperation with the IAEA. They also confirmed Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology. They called for a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

Biological Weapons

Iran signed the Biological Weapons Convention in 1973. This agreement bans biological weapons.

Iran has advanced research programs in biology. These programs help produce vaccines for people in Iran and for export. But these types of facilities could also be used to make biological warfare agents.

A 2005 US report claimed Iran started working on biological weapons during the Iran-Iraq War. It said Iran's large biology industry could hide the production of biological weapons. The report also said Iran's program might soon be able to deliver these weapons.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative says Iran has many biological agents for science. These agents could be turned into weapons. They don't say Iran has tried to weaponize them. But Iran has enough facilities to do so.

Chemical Weapons

An Iranian soldier wearing a gas mask during a chemical attack by Iraqi forces in the Iran–Iraq War.

Iran has suffered greatly from chemical weapons. Hundreds of thousands of Iranian soldiers and civilians were hurt during the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88). Iran was not ready for chemical warfare. It didn't even have enough gas masks for its troops.

Because of sanctions, Iran had to buy gas masks from North Korea. Or use painting masks from the West. Iran did not use chemical weapons back against Iraq. This was even though it might have been allowed under the rules at the time.

Iran did develop a chemical weapons program later in the war. In 1989, a report said Iran started making and storing chemical weapons after a truce with Iraq.

In 1993, Iran signed the Chemical Weapons Convention. This treaty bans chemical weapons. Iran said it had a chemical weapons program in the 1980s. But it stopped the program and destroyed its weapons.

A US intelligence report from 2001 thought Iran had made and stored chemical weapons. This included blister, blood, choking, and nerve agents. It also thought Iran was trying to get technology to make nerve agents. But in 2007, US intelligence was less sure. It only noted Iran had a large chemical industry that could support making chemical agents.

Iran is a signatory of the Chemical Weapons Convention. It has said it supports the treaty. Iran has not declared any chemical weapon stockpiles under the treaty.

In 2016, Iranian chemists made five Novichok nerve agents. These were originally made in the Soviet Union. They did this for analysis and added details to a database.

Delivery Systems

Missiles

Iran is believed to be developing a Shahab-4 missile. This missile could travel 2,000 km and carry a 1,000 kg payload. Iran says the Shahab-4 is for launching satellites.

A Shahab-5 missile, which could travel 10,000 km, has been mentioned but not proven. In 2017, Iran tested the Khorramshahr. This missile can carry a heavy payload over 2,000 km.

Iran has 12 X-55 long-range cruise missiles. They bought these from Ukraine in 2001 without nuclear warheads. These missiles can travel 2,500 to 3,000 kilometers.

Iran's Fajr-3 missile has an unknown range. But it is thought to be 2,500 km. It can avoid radar and hit many targets at once.

In 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles in military exercises. This included Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 missiles. They had ranges from 300 km to 2,000 km. Iran said it had changed Shahab-3 missiles to carry many smaller bombs.

The Sejil is a two-stage, solid-fuel missile made by Iran. It has a reported range of 1,930 km. It was successfully tested in 2008. Experts say the Sejil shows a big jump in Iran's missile abilities. Solid-fuel missiles can be launched much faster than liquid-fueled ones. This makes them harder to stop before launch.

The Sejil-2 is an improved version of the Sejil. It has a 2,000 km range. It was first tested in 2009. It has better navigation, targeting, and can carry more payload. It also launches faster and is harder to detect.

Aircraft

Any aircraft could potentially be used to deliver WMDs. Iran has many different types of aircraft. Due to sanctions, Iran has started making its own transport planes, fighters, and helicopters since 2002.

See also

• AMAD Project
• Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
• United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747
• Nuclear program of Iran
• Operation Merlin
• Green Salt Project
• Iranian Space Agency