# IRAN NEEDS Nuclear Power? Yeah, Right! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 22, 2004, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456 "2004-09-22T10:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/21 "2004-09-23T17:52:59Z")
Except, **Jurph** , that North Korea and Pakistan managed to create a nice symbiotic relationship, and I can easily see the same thing happening with Iran. Too, as has been pointed out, creating a nuclear program is a dandy way to get a lot of scientists on your team. Even buying junk from the Russians or Chinese, Iranian scientists will be able to figure out how to manufacture something better using the junk as a prototype. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/22 "2004-09-23T18:54:32Z")
“Iran plans to build a nuclear power plant or two” is in no way at odds with “Iran plans to built 7 nuclear reactors”. The Three Mile Island power plant had three reactors. The Chernobyl plant had four. The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) has _eight_ reactors- though it’s not a power plant. Incidentally, Iran _has_ several nuclear power plants. They also have uranium deposits and are planning to mine them. Should they be forced to buy enriched fuel from Russia, or pay someone else to reprocess their spent fuel or mined ore, simply because the US claims it makes them nervous for them to be self-sufficient? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/23 "2004-09-23T20:31:19Z")
> [@1010011010](#): > > “Iran plans to build a nuclear power plant or two” is in no way at odds with “Iran plans to built 7 nuclear reactors”. The Three Mile Island power plant had three reactors. The Chernobyl plant had four. The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) has _eight_ reactors- though it’s not a power plant. A tiny corner of ignorance abolished. Very interesting. Thank you. > [@1010011010](#): > > Incidentally, Iran _has_ several nuclear power plants. They also have uranium deposits and are planning to mine them. Should they be forced to buy enriched fuel from Russia, or pay someone else to reprocess their spent fuel or mined ore, simply because the US claims it makes them nervous for them to be self-sufficient? Re that, is this, which was news to little ol me… **[U.S. Push for More Scrutiny of Iran Nuclear Program Fails](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/17/international/europe/17CND-NUKE.html?ei=5088&en=4f9aa10c748929cc&ex=1253160000&partner=rssnyt&pagewanted=print&position=)** Last year, Britain, France and Germany persuaded Iran to suspend its uranium-enrichment efforts in order to build confidence among the international community while it clarifies questions about its nuclear program. In return, the three European countries promised to transfer nuclear energy technology to Iran and to resist American efforts to send the country’s case before the Security Council. Iran plans to build six more 1,000-megawatt reactors. Iran’s apparently been voluntarily complying with limits outside of what’s required of them by treaty as a gesture of goodwill. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/24 "2004-09-23T21:35:01Z")
> [@GLWasteful](#): > > Except, **Jurph** , that North Korea and Pakistan managed to create a nice symbiotic relationship, and I can easily see the same thing happening with Iran. Too, as has been pointed out, creating a nuclear program is a dandy way to get a lot of scientists on your team. Even buying junk from the Russians or Chinese, Iranian scientists will be able to figure out how to manufacture something better using the junk as a prototype. Are you trying to say here that Iran’s nuclear program is a good or a bad thing? Or that it’s a good thing for Iran and a bad thing for everybody else? Or that it’s a good thing for Iran and no special threat to anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/25 "2004-09-23T21:35:58Z")
From the article liked by **SimonX** > [@NYT](#): > > Iran’s nuclear program dates from the late 1960’s, when it began developing nuclear energy on the advice of the United States, which argued that the country should sell its oil rather than burn it to generate electricity. If this is true, then apparently it did, at least in the 60’s, seem to make economic sense to build reactors in an oil rich country. Also, one can see, given the near constant level of instability in that part of the world that, if they were going to rely on nuclear power, they’d want to produce their own fuel instead of relying on others. Finally, the main piece of evidence that they were building the bomb, the traces of highly enriched uranium, appears to have been explained to the IAEA’s satisfaction. In short, I’m much less convinced that Iran is building the bomb then I was before reading the article. On the other hand, earlier this month, the IAEA said that “unresolved issues surrounding Iran’s atomic programme are being clarified or resolved outright”. It’s hard to understand why Iran didn’t just sit tight for a few months and see if they could convince the UN to give them the green light instead of risking economic sanctions by begining enrichment right away. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/26 "2004-09-23T21:42:31Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Finally, the main piece of evidence that they were building the bomb, the traces of highly enriched uranium, appears to have been explained to the IAEA’s satisfaction. Apparently, they were also engaged in construction of a heavy water reactor in secret. ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/27 "2004-09-23T21:53:13Z")
Oh, it’s a bad thing if they’re attempting to make nuclear weapons. Which means that it’s very probably a bad thing all the way across the board. A thousand apologies. I thought that was clear. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/28 "2004-09-23T22:22:20Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > Apparently, they were also engaged in construction of a heavy water reactor in secret As far as I can tell, this is also duel use and not a violation of the NPA. As for keeping it secret, well, given the uproar when all this was finally declared and Israel penchant for blowing up other peoples reactors, I think thats understandable. Also, while the NPA says they have to declare Uranium enrichment activities at a certan point, there isn’t any evidence that they had reached the stage where it was necessary to do so. I found this [article](http://www.payvand.com/news/03/oct/1022.html) from an Iraninan news website that lays out their case for why Nuclear power makes economic sense for Iran. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/29 "2004-09-23T22:38:58Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > As far as I can tell, this is also duel use and not a violation of the NPA. As for keeping it secret, well, given the uproar when all this was finally declared and Israel penchant for blowing up other peoples reactors, I think thats understandable. Also, while the NPA says they have to declare Uranium enrichment activities at a certan point, there isn’t any evidence that they had reached the stage where it was necessary to do so. It’s evidence, not proof. Whether or not it’s ‘main’ is of course a matter of opinion. How strong o fevidence it is is also a matter of opinion. But it seems to be a central part of the US’s case for encourage mistrust of Iran’s intentions. > [@Malodorous](#): > > I found this [article](http://www.payvand.com/news/03/oct/1022.html) from an Iraninan news website that lays out their case for why Nuclear power makes economic sense for Iran. Interesting article. I noted this in particularL “At the same time, since early 1990s, Iran’s consumption of oil has been increasing at an alarming rate of 8% per year, and her total energy consumption has increased from 1.6 quadrillion Btu (quads) in 1980 to more than 5.5 quads at present - an increase of more than 280%. If this trend continues, Iran will become a net oil importer by 2010…” ---
**Author:** ![DonMartin88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DonMartin88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonMartin88)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/30 "2004-09-24T12:36:32Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > It’s evidence, not proof. Whether or not it’s ‘main’ is of course a matter of opinion. How strong o fevidence it is is also a matter of opinion. But it seems to be a central part of the US’s case for encourage mistrust of Iran’s intentions. > Interesting article. > I noted this in particularL > > “At the same time, since early 1990s, Iran’s consumption of oil has been increasing at an alarming rate of 8% per year, and her total energy consumption has increased from 1.6 quadrillion Btu (quads) in 1980 to more than 5.5 quads at present - an increase of more than 280%. If this trend continues, Iran will become a net oil importer by 2010…” I don’t think that this is only propaganda. Irans population have increased enormous the last two decades. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/31 "2004-09-24T13:37:39Z")
They might have a booming population and use oil revenue more, but this still doesn’t mean they should be allowed to build a nuclear reactor. I object highly to an Islamic fundamentalist government being able to reach a stage where it can challenge Israels dominance as regional superpower. I hope to dear God the Israelis don’t dissapoint and blow the thing up. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/32 "2004-09-24T17:28:26Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > I hope to dear God the Israelis don’t dissapoint and blow the thing up. Do you think they can do that and not start a war? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/33 "2004-09-24T17:32:57Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > I hope to dear God the Israelis don’t dissapoint and blow the thing up. It’s not clear from the phrasing. Would you be disappointed if Israel _did_ ‘blow the thing up’ or would you be disappointed if the Israelis did _not_ ‘blow the thing up’? ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/34 "2004-09-24T18:31:18Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > It’s not clear from the phrasing. Would you be disappointed if Israel _did_ ‘blow the thing up’ or would you be disappointed if the Israelis did _not_ ‘blow the thing up’? Did not. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/35 "2004-09-24T18:36:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Do you think they can do that and not start a war? There probably would be an escalation of hostilities towards Iraq under American occupation (seen by some as Zionist controlled) and a shitload of more money for Hamas and Hezbollah. This would happen anyway, just under the protection of their nuclear threat, and by then the situation could or would get even worse, better off with an increase in hostilities for the short term, than one in the long term. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/36 "2004-09-24T18:43:57Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > There probably would be an escalation of hostilities towards Iraq under American occupation (seen by some as Zionist controlled) . . . It’s not yet proven that the Iranians are funding or supporting the insurgency in Iraq, **Ryan.** Rumsfeld says so, but I ain’t buying it until I see some proof, which he has not provided. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/37 "2004-09-24T18:58:25Z")
Why wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t it be common sense to try and destablise the very government that was installed by a power which it hates? ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/38 "2004-09-24T19:00:31Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Do you think they can do that and not start a war? Well, it worked with Iraq. As to whether or not it’ll work again, I dunno. I certainly hope not. Waste ---
**Author:** ![Voodoochile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/898d66/32.png) [@Voodoochile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voodoochile)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/39 "2004-09-24T19:01:05Z")
Well, the OP asks if Iran needs nuclear power, and strictly speaking Id say yes. So does the US, certainly more of it than we have if we are to meet our energy needs. California definately needs more nuclear power. Or did the OP mean nuclear weapons as opposed to nuclear power? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/40 "2004-09-24T19:13:54Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > Why wouldn’t they? > > Wouldn’t it be common sense to try and destablise the very government that was installed by a power which it hates? Plausible attribution of motive does not, by itself, constitute proof of guilt. And one might argue that it is also in the Iranians’ interest to have a stable regime in Iraq, so long as the regime in power is not hostile to Iran, as Hussein was. No country likes constant unrest in a neighbor; it’s bad for commerce, you might get refugees, and there’s always a chance your neighbor’s civil war might spill over into your own territory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456.md?page=3)