Iran’s nuclear program has seen significant advancements, with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announcing 150 scientific and technological achievements over the past year. During a ceremony in Tehran to mark National Nuclear Technology Day on Monday, AEOI President Mohammad Eslami highlighted that 15 of these advancements were in radiopharmaceuticals, positioning Iran as one of the top three global leaders in this field.
Eslami emphasized the innovative use of alpha particles for cancer treatment as Iran’s most significant accomplishment, ushering in a new era for medical applications of nuclear technology. The AEOI has plans to produce 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity in the near future, with the construction of new power plants in southern Iran.
However, despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes such as power generation and medical research, international concerns persist regarding its potential military applications. Evidence such as the enrichment of uranium to levels exceeding civilian requirements has raised suspicions while inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency have occasionally uncovered undisclosed nuclear facilities and materials in Iran, casting doubt on its intentions and compliance with nonproliferation commitments. Furthermore, Iran’s advances in long-range ballistic missile technology capable of carrying nuclear warheads have deepened fears that its nuclear ambitions go beyond peaceful objectives.
Efforts to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action have been stalled since the US pulled out in 2018. Talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the agreement have not made significant progress, underscoring the challenges in addressing Iran’s nuclear program and broader international concerns it raises.
