Living on the edge: Iran and the practice of nuclear hedging

TY - BOOK

T1 - Living on the edge

T2 - Iran and the practice of nuclear hedging

AU - Bowen, Wyn

AU - Moran, Matthew

AU - Esfandiary, Dina

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - In this book, the authors explore the controversial Iranian nuclear programme through the conceptual lens of nuclear hedging. In 2002, revelations regarding undeclared nuclear facilities thrust Iran’s nuclear activities under the spotlight and prompted concerns that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied nuclear weapons aspirations, yet it cannot be disputed that the Islamic Republic has gone well beyond what is required for a civil nuclear programme based on energy production and scientific research. What, then, is the nature and significance of Iran’s nuclear behaviour? Does it form part of a coherent strategy? What can Iran’s actions in the nuclear field tell us about Tehran’s intentions? And what does the Iranian case teach us about proliferation behaviour more generally? This book addresses these questions by exploring the nature of nuclear hedging and how this approach might be identified, before applying this logic to the Iranian case. It provides fresh insights into the inherently opaque area of nuclear proliferation and a more nuanced interpretation of the Iranian nuclear challenge.

AB - In this book, the authors explore the controversial Iranian nuclear programme through the conceptual lens of nuclear hedging. In 2002, revelations regarding undeclared nuclear facilities thrust Iran’s nuclear activities under the spotlight and prompted concerns that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied nuclear weapons aspirations, yet it cannot be disputed that the Islamic Republic has gone well beyond what is required for a civil nuclear programme based on energy production and scientific research. What, then, is the nature and significance of Iran’s nuclear behaviour? Does it form part of a coherent strategy? What can Iran’s actions in the nuclear field tell us about Tehran’s intentions? And what does the Iranian case teach us about proliferation behaviour more generally? This book addresses these questions by exploring the nature of nuclear hedging and how this approach might be identified, before applying this logic to the Iranian case. It provides fresh insights into the inherently opaque area of nuclear proliferation and a more nuanced interpretation of the Iranian nuclear challenge.

KW - Iran

KW - Nuclear weapons

KW - Nuclear hedging

KW - Nuclear nonproliferation

KW - WMD

KW - Military policy

KW - Nuclear arms control

KW - Middle East

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85008958188&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1057/978-1-137-27309-3

DO - 10.1057/978-1-137-27309-3

M3 - Book

AN - SCOPUS:85008958188

SN - 9781137273086

BT - Living on the edge

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

CY - London

ER -