# 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:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**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, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/41 "2004-09-24T19:19:36Z")
> [@GLWasteful](#): > > Well, it worked with Iraq. As to whether or not it’ll work again, I dunno. I certainly hope not. Be careful with your phrasing. That makes it sound like you want the Israelis to bomb Iran – and start a war. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456/42 "2004-09-24T20:16:29Z")
> [@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. The question then is, is building a heavy water reactor inconsistant with Iran’s energy and economic needs and thus an obvious move towards a bomb. Our experiences in Iraq have shown that we can’t afford to move militarily on anything unambiguous. My understanding is that a heavy water reactor creates by-products that have many industrial uses as well as adaquate plutonium to make bombs. Oddly I haven’t been able to find much info about this reactor except that it produces plutonium, most article I’ve seen focus on Iran’s Uranium enrichment program. The thing to keep in mind is that we have a signed agreement with Iran to allow (even help) them to build nuclear infrustructure in return for assurances that they won’t persue the bomb. They’ve come close, but from what I’ve read, they have not breached the agreement. Every effort should be made to make them agree to reaffirm this treaty, with more stringent inspections (something they’ve been at least semi-open to) in return for further help building their peaceful nuclear tech, before we start dropping bombs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-needs-nuclear-power-yeah-right/265456.md?page=2)