Suspicions about the nuclear-development programs of North Korea and Iran are shaking the foundation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. First, North Korea announced its withdrawal from the NPT; now, serious concerns exist regarding the intent behind Iran's secret operations to enrich uranium.
At a board meeting last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency adopted a resolution calling on Iran to disclose the full picture of its nuclear development by the end of October and to cooperate in inspections. The situation is becoming tense. If Iran does not comply, the matter will be taken to the U.N. Security Council and, as in the cases of Iraq and North Korea, could grow more complicated. Indeed, Iran's nuclear development could seriously imperil the NPT regime.
There have long been suspicions about Iran's motives in pursuing nuclear development. Russia's plan to build six nuclear reactors for power generation in Iran in 10 years has been placed under IAEA inspections. Although it has been decided that spent nuclear fuel will be reprocessed in Russia, the United States remains so nervous of the plan that it has continued to urge its cancellation.