| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
A nuclear-weapon-free zone for the Middle East was first proposed by Iran in 1974.[1] Iran's last reigning monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, championed the idea of such a zone, perhaps as a way to enhance Iran's leadership role in the region despite his own nuclear ambitions. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which replaced the monarchy in 1979, is believed to be pursuing a nuclear weapons capability despite intense international diplomatic and economic pressure. Nevertheless, Iranian leaders, who claim that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, have been enthusiastic about the planned 2012 conference on establishing a Middle Eastern zone free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The conference could serve Iran's geopolitical interests by providing an opportunity to exploit Arab divisions and shift the focus away from Iran toward Israel's nuclear arsenal, thereby undermining U.S. efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear program.
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