The Iran Nuclear Issue: (Documents in International Law)

Controversy over the Iranian nuclear policy has been mounting in both legal and political circles since the early 2000s. Most recently, the IAEA, tasked with verifying compliance of Member States with the NPT, has been expressing concern that Iran's nuclear efforts are directed not solely at peaceful uses but also at military purposes. In response, various States have tried, individually and collectively, to engage Iran in agreed frameworks of action that would include an Iranian self-imposed restraint regarding its nuclear development. This volume documents the Iranian nuclear issue, tracing the evolution of international interest and concern with Iran's nuclear policy since the 1970s, when Iran began earnest efforts to acquire nuclear capabilities. Emphasis is placed on events since 2002-2003, when it was established that Iran had concealed certain aspects of its nuclear activities from IAEA. Alongside reports of the IAEA and Security Council documents, the volume covers diverse sources rather than relying solely on UN organs and agencies, international organisations or dedicated ad hoc bodies.

Table of Contents:
I. Analytical Introduction 1. Introduction 2. Scientific Background 2.1 Iran's Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2.1.1 Uranium Enrichment 2.1.2 Plutonium Production 2.2 Weaponization 3. The NPT Regime 3.1 Article IV.1: The Right to Develop Production of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes 3.2 Article II: The Non-Proliferation Commitment of NNWS 3.3 Article III.1: The IAEA Safeguards System 3.4 Article III.2: Export Controls 3.5 Compliance with the NPT 4. Referral of Iran's Dossier to the Security Council 4.1 Non-compliance under IAEA Statute Article XII.C 4.1.1 The Procedure for Determining Non-compliance 4.1.2 What Constitutes Non-compliance 4.1.3 Iran's Exculpatory Arguments 4.2 Peace and Security Concerns under IAEA Statute Article III.B.4 4.3 Inability to Verify under Safeguards Agreement Article 19 5. IAEA BOG Suspension of Privileges 6. The IAEA's Call for Suspension of Enrichment-related and Reprocessing Activities 7. Security Council Action 7.1 Legality of the Security Council's Demand for Suspension 7.2 Security Council Enforcement Measures 8. Unilateral Use of Force 9. Conclusion II. Chronology III. Documents International Agreements Security Council Documents IAEA Documents Iranian Statements and Proposals Statements and Proposals by the EU3+3 Statements by International Organisations

About the Author :
Dr Yaël Ronen is Assistant Professor at Sha'arei Mishpat College, Israel and a former diplomat in the Israeli Foreign Service. Her areas of expertise are territorial status, international human rights and international humanitarian law. Her book, 'Legal Aspects of Transition from Illegal regimes in International Law' is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press.

Review :
An expert on humanitarian law, the law of occupation and assistant to Prof. Shabtai Rosenne in the publication of The Law and Practice of the International Court of Justice, Yaël Ronen takes on in The Iran Nuclear Issue a topic that is clearly distant from her ordinary field of research. She nonetheless displays an evident command [in the field]. The introductory analysis by the author, followed by a chronology, allow the reader to decipher the 'Iranian dossier' in its totality. Referencing pertinent documents, the examination is not purely descriptive but aims to lay out and address the arguments and positions of different actors and observers. Notwithstanding the considerably politicized nature of the subject, and the hostility that prevails between Iran and Israel, the objectivity and scholarly approach in which this subject is debated deserves credit and applause. The volume presents a wealth of materials providing an invaluable source to specialists working in or researching Iran's nuclear programme and its repercussions on regional and global politics. In addition, the critical and analytical examination of issues will greatly assist not only international lawyers but also those generally interested in the geopolitical tensions within the Middle East.