Abstract
Iranian nuclear programme has been the focus of western policy makers for the last several years. Most of the commentaries and studies, on the Iranian programme, have also been written by western analysts and reflect the western perspective on the issue. These studies generally blame Iran for pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapon programme. Iran and the Bomb, Nuclear Club Busted has been written from a nonwestern view point. Despite its provocative title the book is a serious study of Iran’s nuclear programme. Divided in eleven chapters the book covers Iranian nuclear programme from its inception to the latest developments, which include IAEA inspector’s observations, concerns of regional states, and its impact on Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
The book gives the history of Iran’s nuclear programme since the 1950s and how western powers were, then, too willing to help Iran during Shah’s rule with its peaceful nuclear programme, even though Iran had not even signed Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The book draws attention to the Iranian Revolution (1979) and deteriorating Iran-US relations that marked a change in the attitude of the Western states towards Iranian nuclear programme. Iran’s nuclear programme, which it claims, is for peaceful purposes, is viewed with suspicion by the Western countries, particularly the USA; they believe that Iran is secretly making nuclear weapons in violation of its NPT obligations. The fact that no evidence supports this assessment is often ignored. NPT being the only framework available for controlling proliferation of nuclear weapons, Ghani Jafar and Shams-uz-Zaman have analyzed Iranian nuclear program in the perspective of the NPT, which is also the theme of book’s first chapter.