Iran Nuclear Development

Guide Note

In late June of 2008, senior Israeli government officials suggested that they may launch an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities to prevent the suspected development of nuclear weapons.¹Pentagon officials expressed concerns that an Israeli attack on Iran could lead to retaliatory action against the United States and its Middle Eastern interests. ²

Fast Facts

1. U.S. and Israeli officials estimate that Iran could have enough uranium to produce nuclear weapons as early as the end of 2008²
2. Israel launched an air force training exercise in early June of 2008²
3. Israel is estimated to have the world's sixth largest store of nuclear weapons³
4. In December of 2007, reports surfaced that Iran was purchasing an S-300 air defense system from Russia⁴
5. The threat of an Israeli attack on Iran drove crude oil prices to a record high¹

On November 7, 2007, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared a milestone in the development of Iran's nuclear program. According to the Iranian leader, the country is operating 3,000 uranium-enriching centrifuges. While Iran has the right to develop a nuclear program for fuel purposes, international speculation suggests that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons.⁵